Fate
by HaruJam
Summary: Takao/Tyson has led a happy life these past few years but now his past has caught up with him. As he confronts his fate, his friends are dragged into the dark secrets and hidden history of Takao's family. BeybladeFruits Basket crossover. Complete!
1. Chapter 1: It Begins

**Fate **

Um… Hey. I'm Jam and this is my first fanfic. This is a crossover between Beyblade and Fruits Basket (not many of these around, so I figured I'd write one). Basically, the story focuses mostly on Takao and his past. The story's written in either Takao or Kai's POV. Thoughts are in Italics. I am sad to say that I don't own Fruits Basket or Beyblades or any of the characters, plots, etc associated with these two animes. Fruits Basket is owned by Natsuki Takaya and Beyblade is owned by someone who I can't remember the name of but it's definitely not me so please DON'T SUE ME! . Anyhoo, let's get on with the story. Hope you enjoy it, ne: ) Btw, please remember to review it. I'd like constructive criticism please. Only flame me if you have to. Also, if I mix up names or screw up minor bits: gomen nasai!

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* * *

Chapter 1: It Begins**

_Every time I succeed, my victory feels hollow. Ever time I laugh with a friend, I feel like I'm betraying them. Every time I tell myself it'll be all right, I know I'm lying to myself. I know I should be happy, for I am blessed with so much; good friends, fame and talent but all this means nothing. The shield that has formed around my heart remains strong and I fear nothing even brushes my emotions any more. I am hollow, empty, frozen in events of the past. I haven't the courage to face the present or looks towards the future. After all, what future is there to look forward to? My friends are unaware of my problems. I like it like that. I keep up this act for them, so they'll never know how pitiful and useless I really am. It's tiring keeping up this charade but it won't continue for much longer. The end is nigh and I am ready for it._

* * *

(Takao's POV)

"Oi, Takao. Wake up!"

I groaned. _Go away, I can't handle getting up right now!_

"WAKE UP"

I jumped; suddenly wide-awake as I felt a startling cold sensation. Looking around I spotted a smirking Kai holding an empty ice-cube tray.

"Time to train," he stated walking out of the room. I glared at his retreating back before moving my gaze to my alarm clock. 7:00am. _Way too early!_ Swearing under my breath I quickly threw on some clothes, stumbling slightly in my half-asleep state. I paused for a second to look out my window. Dark clouds swirled ominously in the sky and silver rain fell steadily.

"God I hate rain," I muttered as I removed the ice cubes from my bed. Hearing an impatient yell from downstairs, I hurriedly finished my task and clambered down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Ah, he's awake", came a warm voice. I don't even have to look up to know who it is.

"Morning Rei," I mumbled. Shuffling past him, I opened the fridge and grab the half-empty bottle of milk. I gulped the whole thing down before leaning back and sighing in contentment. _I love milk!_

"Ew, that's gross Takao! Use a glass next time," laughs a bubbly blonde who had just entered the room.

"Morning Max," I replied as I moved zombishly across the room. I collapsed onto a chair as I turn to address Rei. "Hey, Rei I think I'll pass on breakfast today."

"What!? But you never turn down a meal. Are you sick or something?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"I'm fine," I yawned. "I just feel lousy this morning. Maybe it's the weather."  
"Or maybe you just want to get out of training?" Kai snapped as he entered the room. His two-toned hair was still damp from his shower.

"No, it's not that," I protested. "I'll train today, I just don't feel that hungry right now."

"Hn," came Kai's disbelieving reply. He took the seat across from me as Rei and Max brought out plates, cutlery and of course, the food. The aromas of the food, which would normally have tempted me, made me feel like throwing up.

"Morning little dudes! What's shaking," My Grandpa boomed as he entered the room. "Geez, that smells good! Huh? What's up with you Takao? You look like you're gonna be sick."

"I just feel lousy, is all," I muttered, clutching my stomach.

"Well the weather bureau said it's gonna rain all day. No doubt that's why you're feeling ill."

"What's the weather got to do with him feeling sick?" Max asked through a mouthful of rice.

"Don't you guys now?" Grandpa queried in surprise. "Takao always feels off when it rains. Haven't you guys noticed?"

"I can't say I have," Rei answered. "Why didn't you tell us Takao?" he questioned, his gaze moving towards me. I stared back at him incomprehensively. I could see his lips moving but all I could hear was white noise. My vision started to blur as I continued to watch Rei. He looked positively alarmed now. _He was obviously yelling something, but what?_ I turned my gaze to Kai who sat next to Rei. He looked alarmed as well. I watched fascinated as he moved around the table towards me. Suddenly I felt my chair give way under me and I then I was falling…THUMP. I hit the ground. Lying flat on my back, I shut my eyes and began to take deep breaths in an attempt to rid myself of the nauseous feeling in my stomach. As I continued to breathe, I felt myself being lifted onto a mattress in the living room. I opened my eyes tentatively. My vision had thankfully steadied and I the white noise had quietened, allowing me to hear the anxious voices around me. I spotted Grandpa and tuned into what he was saying.

"This isn't normal. The rain shouldn't have affected him this much."

"It's not just the rain," I gasped. The voices of my friends dimmed as I focused all of my attention on Grandpa. "The end is nigh and my body knows it." I smile, ignoring the questioning noises of my friends. My vision begins to fade. The last thing I saw before the inky blackness consumed me was a lone tear sliding down Grandpa's cheek.

The first thing I felt when I returned to consciousness was the throbbing in my head. Next came the nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach. I groaned, slowly rolling onto my side. It hurt!

"He's awake," I heard Max shout. I opened my eyes and peered blearily at the people assembled around me. Kai, Rei and Max sat fretfully around my mattress. Kai was (as usual) the most composed whilst the other two were clearly freaking out.

"Takao…" Max began uncertainly.

"I'm all right," I responded tiredly. Shakily, I sat up. "Where's Grandpa?"

"He went to call a doctor," Rei answered. He glanced at me nervously. "Um, Takao, do you remember what you said to him before you passed out?" Noticing my blank look, he continued. "It's just Grandpa almost broke down when you said what you did. I'm curious. What did you mean when you said 'the end is nigh'?" I looked around. It was obvious they were all wondering about what I had said. They'd probably been discussing it whilst I was out cold. I sighed, rubbing my temples.

"It's nothing. I was just really out of it when I said it. You shouldn't dwell on it."

"But then why did Grandpa…" Max began.

"Leave it alone!" I cut him off angrily. I clutched at my chest as a sharp pain jolted my heart. "Just forget about it, okay?" I panted. I glared at them whilst all three stared back in shock. They obviously hadn't expected such a reaction.

"Takao, yelling at those who are worried about you won't land you many friends," came a quiet voice from across the room. I looked up, startled.

"Hatori!" I gasped.

"Long time no see," he replied sedately, walking towards me. "Master Kazuma called me here. He said you were feeling ill but from your conversation just now, I can tell there's more to it than that. He also told me you sensed the end approaching. I can see why you may be feeling a bit off." He paused to consider Kai, Rei and Max. "Could you please join Takao's Grandpa in the kitchen? I would like to speak to Takao in private."

"Fine," muttered Kai. He left the room silently, a reluctant Max and Rei trailing behind him. They still hadn't fully recovered from the shock of being yelled at.

I turned my attention back to Hatori. "It is time, isn't it?" I asked him, half-afraid of the answer.

"I don't truly know," he shrugged, sitting down on the floor next to my mattress. "Akito has become quite reclusive recently. No one knows what she is thinking nowadays"

"Well, that's not really surprising, " I reply. "After all, you're all free from the curse now. You're no longer bonded to her anymore."

"It will break for you too, one day," Hatori reassured. "And for her."

"One day," I mused, a bitter smile on my face. "I really do hate those words."

"In any case," Hatori continued," you can't afford to lose hope. If you're instincts are right and the end is nigh, you can't just let your body give up."

"I'd rather my body waste away than the hell that's planned for me," I remarked heatedly. "I refuse to spend the rest of my life trapped in that godforsaken room!"

"There's still a chance…" Hatori began hesitantly but I cut him off.

"No! There are no maybes. It's gonna happen, Hatori. Whether I like it or not. Neither you nor the others will be able change this fact. You are outsiders now. Akito never listened to you even when you were the Dragon. Do you really think she'll listen to you now? I'm doomed, Hatori. Ever since I was born, I was doomed to this fate, this suffering. There is no escape!"

"And so you're just going to give up? You're going to resign yourself to fate without a fight" Hatori queried. His stormy blue eyes stared at me piercingly.

"No," I stated calmly. I met his gaze steadily. "Like I said, I'd rather my body waste away than be stuck for eternity in that hole."

"You're serious?" Hatori gasped disbelievingly, his eyes widening in shock.

"Yes, deadly serious," was my steady response.

* * *

(Kai's POV)

Ignoring my instinct to remain with my teammate, I left the room with Max and Rei following listlessly. It was obvious that both Rei and Max were still a bit out of it because of Takao's outburst just then. _God, even I wasn't expecting an explosion like that. Sure I've seen him pissed off before but this was different. The usual light in his eyes was gone and his whole body radiated the message 'back-off unless you want your life cut abruptly short' I've never seen him like that before. It must be something big if it sets him off this much. I wonder what it is? _

"So Takao's with Hatori now?" came a saddened voice, breaking my reverie. I looked up to see Takao's Grandpa sitting at the kitchen table, untouched coffee in front of him. I poured myself a cup whilst Max and Rei collapsed onto chairs. I leaned against the kitchen counter and took a sip. Good coffee!

"Yeah, he is. He said he wanted to speak to Takao in private, hence why we're here," a clearly shaken Rei replied to Grandpa's query.

"Are you guys all right? You look like you've just had quite a scare," Grandpa remarked, eying the still quivering Max.

"Uh, yeah. It's all good," Max mumbled. "I… just didn't expect to get yelled at like that."

Grandpa's eyebrows rose into his hairline. "Hatori yelled at you. That is kinda unexpected."

"No, Takao did," I chipped in. Noticing the questioning look in his eyes, I continued. "Rei asked him what he meant by the 'end is nigh' and Takao flipped out."

"Don't take it too personally," Grandpa sighed, massaging his temples. "Takao doesn't take kindly to people asking really personal questions. You're not the first ones Takao has snapped at."

"What!? Takao still has secrets from me?" Max cried. "I thought I knew everything about him"

"Actually, now that I think about it, I don't really know that much about him. I mean, I know like basic stuff since we've spent so much time together but apart from that, I don't know a thing," Rei murmured.

I frowned. Rei was right. Just who the hell was Takao Kinomiya?

"That's true," agreed a now composed Max. "He knows all about our pasts but what about his? Where are his parents? How did he and Hiro grow up? Did he always live here?" These last questions were directed at Takao's Grandpa.

"I'm afraid you're gonna have to ask Takao these questions, not me. He is… an intensely private person despite his open personality. He probably wouldn't like it if I told you boys everything," Grandpa responded uncertainly.

"But why?" Rei asked curiously. "It's not like we're asking really personal questions. Can't you tell us anything?"

I studied Takao's Grandpa critically. _Why did he look so nervous? Rei was right. Asking where Takao's parents are wasn't that big of a deal. In any case, both Takao and his Grandpa know that we haven't had the easiest pasts, especially Rei and me. Surely Takao's can't be that bad. I mean, look at him. He's too happy and carefree to be hiding some dark secret. Isn't he?_

"I… still think it's a better idea to pose these questions to Takao, not me. Sorry dudes but this isn't something that should be spoken about…casually," Grandpa finished lamely.

Hearing footsteps approaching the kitchen, I turned away from the now sweating Grandpa and turned to face that Hatori guy. Who was he anyway?

"How is he?" Grandpa burst out.

"I…I don't really know," was the stuttered response.

"Are you okay, Hatori?" Grandpa asked, alarm on his face. "I've never seen you look so flustered before."

I narrowed my eyes. Now that I looked closely, he did look a lot more frazzled than when he first entered. It was obvious that this guy was normally one of those cool, calm, collected types but at the moment his eyes were widened slightly in disbelief and his hands shook ever so slightly. It would have taken a lot to shake this guy up. _What the hell did Takao say to him? _

"I'm fine, I just wasn't expecting Takao to say what he did." He paused, as if silently debating with himself. "Did you know?" he suddenly burst out.

"Know what?" Grandpa questioned, worry threading his tone.

"What Takao's…plans are, in the event that, um… things come to pass," Hatori replied. From the covert glances he kept sending Max, Rei and I, it was apparent that he didn't want to say anything obvious in front of us.

"I didn't know he had any. To be honest, we've both steered clear of that particular subject. It's not really something either one of us wants to dwell on. Why? What does he plan to do?" Grandpa cautiously queried.

"He's…" Hatori paused, once more looking at Rei, Max and I. "He's going to let everything end before it can begin."

_What the hell did that mean?_ I could see the same curiosity in Max and Rei's eyes. I focused my attention back onto Grandpa and Hatori.

"You don't mean…?" Grandpa gasped. Hatori nodded.

"I'm afraid he's serious," Hatori commented.

"Shit," Grandpa muttered. I saw Max's eyes widen. None of us had ever heard Takao's Grandpa swear before.

"Yeah," came Hatori's reply. "In any case he's sleeping at the moment. I've given him some medicine to help with his nausea. The rain should let up by tonight so he should hopefully be well again by tomorrow. I suggest you let him sleep in tomorrow as well. Taking a jog and practicing martial arts at 4am won't do him much good with him in this condition."

"You try telling him that," Grandpa grumbled. "He hasn't missed a day for the past 10 years. He even went jogging the day we had that typhoon. He's not going to let up just because he's feeling sick."

"Wait. What do you mean 4am jogging and martial arts sessions?" Rei interrupted. "Takao always sleeps in."

"No, he just always falls asleep after he finishes his training," Grandpa supplied.

"That's impossible," I interjected. "I would have heard him if he got up before I did."

"Maybe he only goes out when he had a separate room to the rest of us. Though I can't really imagine Takao waking up early for any reason," Max chipped in.

"No, Takao wouldn't have stopped his training even if you guys did share the same room," Grandpa answered.

"But I would have heard him if he had left the room early," I insisted.

"No, I doubt you would have," Hatori interrupted. "Takao can be very quiet and sneaky when he wants to be. Trust me, if he doesn't want to be caught, he won't be."

"How would you know?" Rei queried.

"I'm his cousin as well as his doctor," he replied.

"Sorry, I forgot about introductions," Grandpa interrupted sheepishly. "Boys, this is Takao's cousin Hatori Sohma"

"It's nice to meet you," Hatori stated, bowing slightly.

"It's nice to meet you too," Rei replied, bowing. "My name is Rei Kon. This is Max Mizuhara and Kai Hiwatari."

Max and I bowed as Rei introduced us.

"I didn't know Takao had any cousins," Max commented. "I thought his only family was Grandpa and Hiro."

"No, Takao has many relatives but I'm afraid very few of us bother to keep in contact. The only ones I think Takao really keeps in contact with are a handful of cousins," Hatori explained. "In any case," he continued, turning to Takao's Grandpa, "I must be going. Akito is expecting me."

"Does he know you're here?" Grandpa inquired, his face suddenly tense.

"No," Hatori replied shortly. Grandpa's face immediately relaxed. "He currently believes me to be with Shigure," Hatori finished.

"Good," Grandpa sighed. Hatori just nodded in response.

"Call me if anything else pops up," he directed to Grandpa.

"Will do," Grandpa replied, standing up.

"It was nice to meet you boys," he nodded to us before he and Grandpa exited the room.

When they were gone, the three of us turned to face each other.

"What did you make of that?" Rei asked.

"It's something big," I concluded. "And it's happening soon."

"We have to find out more about Takao," Max contributed.

"I agree. I wonder if Takao will be more open to answering questions tomorrow?" Rei mused aloud.

"He better be. There's no one else we can ask, especially as Grandpa won't help us," Max sighed.

"We can't do anything at the moment. Let's get some training done. Maybe it'll help us think," I suggested. Max and Rei just nodded and began walking towards Takao's beydish. I followed slowly. _What the hell is going on, Takao? Who are you?_


	2. Chapter 2: In the Shadows before Dawn

**Fate**

Hey! It's me again. Welcome to chapter 2 of my humble, little fanfic. v I'm quite proud of my self really since I managed to not take ages coming up with a second chapter. I'm one of those ppl who works really hard on projects at the beginning but then loses interest after a while and stops working on them all 2getha. Plus I'm also really lazy. So, I'm relying on u ppl to keep me motivated by sending reviews or reminders. Please no threats! Once more, I'd like to remind everyone that I don't own either Fruits Basket or Beyblades though I kinda wish did. So please refrain the urge to sue me. Thoughts are in Italics in case you've forgotten. Oh, & special thanx to Desastrous who was nice enough to send me my first ever review.  Cheers for pointing out my tense problems. I've decided to edit the first chapter and am gonna repost it. Well, that's about all I've gotta tell u. So happy reading!

* * *

**Chapter 2: In the Shadows before Dawn**

_Darkness, surrounding me, suffocating me. I can't breath. The air is heavy, feels like lead. I don't like this. I feel like something's trapping me. Walls slowly growing closer. Shadows creeping unerringly forward. I panic. I begin to run. I have to get out. I can't take this any more. My legs and arms move incredibly slowly, as if I was running under water._

_I hear a low, guttural growl behind me. I throw a glance over my shoulder in the direction the noise had come from. Sickly purple orbs stare back at me. The smell of rotting flesh and blood fills my nostrils. I swoon dangerously, fighting the urge to vomit. The glowing eyes get closer and closer. The stench increases. I can't move. My whole body is frozen stiff. All I can do is watch in horror as the eyes continue to approach me. I can see them properly now. The pupil is a dark, narrow slash on a putrid, purple field. I flinch as the rattling breath of the creature fans my face. I open my mouth to scream but no sound emerges. My throat merely burns. Icy claws grip my arms. I feel myself being dragged forwards, into the embrace of the creature. I try to struggle but it's in vain. My body is refusing to move._

_The eyes are right in front of me now, mere centimetres from my face. For a moment time seems to pause, as if waiting for expectantly for something to happen. Suddenly, the creature lunges forward with a hiss, shattering the moment. I brace myself for the jarring impact but it doesn't come. Instead, a cold chill envelops my body. I open my eyes in shock. I can still see the creature but instead of a physical body, the creature is transparent. The creature is no longer in front of me either. It is me._

* * *

(Takao's POV)

I woke up to the sound of my own muffled scream. The lingering images from my nightmare mingled with the sight before my eyes, making the moonlit shadows in my room appear menacing. I shuddered convulsively. This was not the first time I had had this dream, not even the second. This was the nightmare that had plagued me for years. It was my earliest memory. However, this was the first time I'd had it in such vivid detail. I had never been able to clearly see the creature before or feel its breath on my face. It terrified me.

I glanced at my alarm clock. The luminescent numbers 03:02 shone back at me. I sighed. There was no way I'd be able to get back to sleep now. I was still too shaken up after my dream. So instead I decided to do what I always do when I wake up after that nightmare. I quickly and quietly slipped out of bed after disentangling myself from my blanket.

I went to my cupboard and pulled out a pair of comfortable khaki pants. I slipped the pants on over my boxers then reached for an old, cotton shirt. I stripped off my sleeping singlet off and pulled on the black tee. I winced slightly as the movement pulled at the three parallel scars on my torso. I had gotten those scars eight years ago and the pain had never fully gone away. I seriously doubted it ever would. I pulled my hair into a loose ponytail to keep it out of my face and after checking I still had my bracelet on, made my way silently to my window. Ignoring the fact that my bedroom was on the second storey, I jumped out the window. The air sang around me as I fell. I wasn't afraid though. Why should I be? I always land on my feet after all. The ground I landed on was soft and wet from the rain, which had thankfully stopped though dark clouds still littered the night sky.

I took a deep breath. The air smelt wonderful compared to the fetid stench of the creature in my dream. I stopped for a minute and simply inhaled and exhaled, savouring the sweet taste. I allowed my body to completely relax. This was something I rarely did, as I always had to be aware and alert to possible dangers around me. As my body unwound, I felt the stomachache that I'd had since yesterday ease. Sighing contentedly, I began to go through some basic exercises to stretch out and warm up my muscles. I began a light jog around the yard using the light from the moon to guide me. Apart from a small splash that resounded every time I jogged through a puddle, I barely made a noise as I did laps around the perimeter of the dojo.

Normally, I would go for a run around the neighbourhood, threading through the backstreets and occasionally jumping from roof to roof. Tonight however, I was too unnerved by my nightmare to even consider it. Plus, I still hadn't fully recovered from my bout of sickness yesterday and it was probably going to start to rain again. Nothing would be worse than transforming due to exhaustion in some unknown spot around the city. I'd likely die if that ever happened. Hence, I was training here outside my own home. As I jogged another circuit, my thoughts went back to what happened yesterday. _I'm gonna have to apologise to the guys, aren't I? Knowing them, they're probably gonna wanna get some answers out of me. I bet they spent most of yesterday trying to work out what's happening. Grandpa said they'd been asking questions about the whereabouts of my parents as well. This is bad. I don't want to get them involved. That was the point behind this whole charade in the first place. I knew I shouldn't have allowed myself to get too attached to them. How am I gonna handle this? _

Consumed by my thoughts, I didn't sense the presence of another until a hand clamped firmly down on my shoulder, breaking me from my reverie. I turned fearfully only to come face-to-face with the murderous eyes of my Grandpa. It was only now that my mind registered the steady sheet of rain that bombarded us both and the fact that I was shivering from both cold and fatigue. I gulped, knowing Grandpa could probably feel the tremors which racked my body. _He's gonna kill me! Either that or I'm in for one hell of a lecture._ I studied him critically, trying to determine which option he'd take. His stance was tense and unyielding. His eyes shone with fury and his lips were drawn into a thin line. He didn't say a word. He just glared; his left hand tightly gripping my shoulder and his right clutching his kendo stick so hard his knuckles were white. _Yep. He's gonna kill me._

Grandpa suddenly raised his kendo stick in a sharp movement. I flinched, expecting to feel a harsh blow somewhere along my body but instead Grandpa had merely used his kendo stick to point in the direction of the dojo. Following his silent command I made my way to the dojo, Grandpa's hand still clutching my shoulder painfully. Once we were inside, Grandpa led me to the warm kitchen where he released his grip on my shoulder and turned me to face him. THWACK. A sharp pain raced along my body from my now bruised shoulder.

"You idiot!" Grandpa raged. I winced as I saw him raise his kendo stick again. He brought it down sharply, this time on my opposite shoulder. Pain rang throughout my body, combining with my exhaustion. I remained unsteadily on my feet despite it. I was no stranger to pain after all. I would bear through it, just like I did the other times. In any case, I probably deserved this pain. Grandpa was right to be mad at me. I had messed up once again.

* * *

(Kai's POV)

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP

Hearing the shrill notes of my alarm clock, my eyes immediately snapped open. Taking a moment to get my bearings, I sat up and turned to glare at the alarm clock. 04:00 flashed back at me innocently. I frowned_. Why the hell was my alarm clock set at 4am?_ Pushing the snooze button, I stood up. Obviously there was some reason why I had set it. _I know for a fact that neither Rei nor Max would be stupid enough to do it for a prank. No, they'd never do that again, not after last time. _I smirked as I remembered how I got them back. Locking Rei in a small room with Max who was on a severe sugar-high had been hilarious. It also provided a lot of blackmail material, which I still had to find a way to use. Shaking my head, I turned back to the problem at hand. _Max and Rei wouldn't have done it and Takao's sick… Takao! Of course! I'd set it early to see if he actually does go training at 4am like his Grandpa had said._ Once more looking at the alarm clock, I noticed seven minutes had already elapsed. I grimaced. _I can't believe it's taken me seven minutes to remember. I must really need some caffeine._ Sighing, I quickly threw on his clothes and silently stalked out of the room.

The halls of the Kinomiya dojo were dark and deathly silent. The only trace of light came from the small sliver of silver moon, which peaked shyly from behind dark clouds. Despite the little light, I had no trouble walking to Takao's room. After all, I was usually the one who had to wake up the blue-haired boy. As I began to think about him, I noticed that my pace had increased slightly. I was worried about him, though I'd never admit that to anyone. Takao had been the first person that'd ever bothered to offer me unconditional friendship. He was the only one who ever fought for me and stayed by my side through both the easy and difficult times. He stayed, despite my attitude, despite the dangers that came with associating with me, despite the endless problems I put him through. It was time I returned the favour.

As I approached Takao's room, my eyes narrowed. There was a vague figure sneaking amongst the shadows. Taking no chances (AN: this is Kai after all) I readied myself. In one swift movement, I sprang forward and grabbed the person, one hand locking the person's hands behind their back, the other clamping over their mouth. The person in my arms immediately began to struggle but I was stronger and held fast. Though my hand muffled his yells, they still echoed loudly in the silent hallways. I scowled. I was gonna have to knock him out. I didn't want to wake up everybody just because someone was stupid enough to sneak into the building. _Alright. I'll knock him out then I can interrogate him later on in the morning after I check that nothing's amiss._ Nodding to myself I steadied my hand, ready to clamp down on the pressure points that would result in unconsciousness.

"Um… Kai, is there are reason why you're suffocating Max.?" came an anxious voice.

I looked up to see Rei's face shaded in moonlight. His golden eyes were worriedly staring at the figure held in my grasp. I followed his gaze and swore under my breath. Max's golden hair and pale face were now clearly visible in the moonlight. I also noticed that he'd stopped struggling and looked as if he were about to pass out. My hand was clamped firmly over both his nose and mouth. _Whoops_. Quickly I removed my hand, allowing Max to draw a long, gasping breath.

"Why are you two out of bed?" I asked, letting go of Max's hands.

"I wanted to see if Takao really trains at 4am," Rei replied. He'd moved over to Max and was now rubbing his back, encouraging Max to breath.

"Same," Max gasped, breathlessly. "Kai, did you have to jump me like that. You scared the hell outta me!"

"You were a strange person sneaking around a dark house at four in the morning. Did you think I'd give you lollies or something?" I questioned sarcastically. Max just glared at me. I glared back. After a few, tense seconds, Max looked away, breaking eye contact. _YES! Kai: 1, Max: 0!_ (AN: Even Kai has to have some form of entertainment.)

"Anyway…," Rei interrupted, "why are you up Kai? This is early, even by your standards." I shrugged.

"I wanted to see if Grandpa was telling the truth or not. I still don't really believe it but I thought I should check. If it is true, I'm gonna find out how the hell Takao snuck past me so many times."

"And if he won't tell you…?" Max inquired, curiously.

"He will," I smirked, cracking my knuckles.

"For his sake I hope Grandpa was lying," Rei chuckled.

I was about to respond when a loud THWACK sounded downstairs. Unnerved, I raced downstairs with Max and Rei following closely behind me. I tensed as another loud THWACK was heard coming from the kitchen. Picking up speed I broke away from Max and Rei and jerked open the door. I looked on in astonishment as I saw a very pissed-off Grandpa waving a kendo stick threateningly at a subdued and downcast Takao. I took a moment to take in what I was seeing whilst I waited for Grandpa and Takao to register that Rei, Max and I were standing in the doorway. Takao was dripping wet. His shoulder-length navy hair was loosely tied and plastered to his face and neck. He wore a tight, black T-shirt and loose-fitting khaki pants, both of which were soaked. He was barefoot and his feet, face and arms were streaked with dirt. The only other item he wore was a black and white beaded bracelet._ Now that I think about, this is the first time I've ever really seen Takao in anything but his usual outfit of jeans, yellow shirt and red jacket. Even his cap and fingerless gloves are gone! _Takao's Grandpa looked different as well. Gone was the slightly eccentric, friendly Grandpa. Instead there was a livid and slightly intimidating man who had a kendo stick and knew how to use it. From behind me I heard Max and Rei gulp. They obviously agreed with me that this persona of Takao's Grandpa was not one to mess with.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Grandpa yelled at Takao. "You should know better Takao. You knew you were sick and yet you ignored both Hatori's and my request that you forgo your training this morning and went off anyway, in the bloody rain no less! Did you even think of what could happen? You could have been mugged, kidnapped or worse. What if your body couldn't take the strain? Do you want everyone to know the truth?"

"Of course not!" Takao exclaimed. It was obvious he was slowly losing his temper.

"Then why do you continue to take these stupid risks? Why do you seem to go out of your way to create situations like this? Do you think it's fun risking your life and your freedom?"

"Of course not! How can you even think that I enjoy this? No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, nothing ever goes right for me. No matter how cautious I am, I always trample that damn flower!(1) Hurting those around me, burdening others with my presence. This is the fate that God bestowed upon me and you think I enjoy it?" Takao's voice was bordering hysteria by the end of his outburst.

I stood in complete shock as Takao's words washed over me. It wasn't what he had said that shook me up so badly; rather it was how he looked as spoke. Tears flowed freely down his face, his eyes bright with desperation. His whole body was so tense it trembled. _Does he really see his life this way? He's the reigning world champion in Beyblading, he has a brother and Grandpa that clearly loved him dearly and he could make friends with everyone. Why is he saying he can never win? Why does he think he's a burden to those around him? What the hell is he on about?_

"Takao…" Rei whispered behind me. I tore my gaze from Takao and turned momentarily to look at Rei and Max. Rei was aghast. His hands covered his open mouth and his eyes were wide and shone with worry. His usually tanned skin looked unnaturally pale in the faint moonlight and I could see he was trembling. I didn't even get a chance to study Max. Overcome with concern and horror, Max had rushed over to Takao and was now clinging to him, as if he were afraid Takao would vanish. Takao remained motionless in Max's grasp. He simply stood there, a pale statue as Max sobbed comforting words into Takao's chest. The appearance of Max seemed to snap Grandpa out of his angry state and he was once more the crazy, easy-going Grandpa they had all come to know.

"Homies! What are you doing awake? It's not even dawn yet."

No one responded. The only sound was Max's quiet sobs, muffled by Takao's shirt. Grandpa sighed.

"You guys heard everything?" he inquired. Seeing as everyone else was in no fit state to answer (Rei was still staring at Takao in alarm), I nodded tersely.

"I'm sorry you guys had to witness that," Grandpa apologised, wringing his hands. I didn't even bother responding this time. Instead I looked at the unmoving form of Takao. His eyes were closed now, all trace of tears gone from his face. Noticing the object of my attention, Grandpa sighed again. Taking a deep breath, he approached Takao. He gently prised a despondent Max away from Takao, placing him in Rei's care. Then he turned back to Takao.

"I'm sorry," he stated simply. "I had no right to speak as I did. I know it's not your fault. I know that you have suffered and continue to suffer. Please understand that a lot of what I say and do is dictated by my love for you and my concern. I don't want to repeat past mistakes and I don't want to lose you," Grandpa confessed, his voice breaking.

"I'm sorry," Takao choked in reply. "I'm sorry I'm still not someone you can be proud of."

* * *

Outside the Kinomiya dojo, the glorious rays of the sun suddenly lit up the heavens, chasing away the remaining shadows of the night and transforming the dark clouds to a glowing gold. The sky was tinted a breathtaking pink and slowly made the transition to orange then to a vibrant, pale blue. The birds sang a sweet greeting to the dawning sun, basking in its warmth and radiance. Inside the dojo however, the beautiful image of dawn was completely ignored in favour of the sight of the blue-haired angel crying in the arms of his Grandpa. 


	3. Chapter 3: Boarish Company

**Fate **

Hey again. Wow! I can't believe that I haven't taken weeks to update. Go me! Anyhoo, I just want to remind everyone that I don't own the characters, stories, etc of either Beyblades or Fruits Basket. So yeah, please don't sue me!! Um… I just want to clear something up. Whilst writing this chapter I came to a startling realisation. See originally, I was gonna make Takao literally be the same person as Kyo Sohma from Furuba. I thought it'd work if I said that he'd simply changed his name and dyed his hair but this doesn't work for my story. In Furuba, everything significant happens to him around the age 16/17(?) but Takao is only 16 in this fic. So I've decided that Takao will not literally be Kyo. He will however have many of the experiences and personality traits that Kyo had but they will be meshed with the experiences, etc he had whilst beyblading. Basically, he's a combination of two characters. I should also tell you that yes, all (or at least most) of the juunishi will feature but I have no idea what to do in regards to Tohru. If you have any suggestions or requests, please let me know! Well, that's enough from me. Hopefully I haven't confused you too much. Enjoy chapter 3 and remember to review! Ja ne!

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Chapter 3: Boarish Company**

_So much has changed in these past few years. The chains of that ancient promise no longer bind me and I'm now able to live the life that I've always wanted, a life in which I get to make my own decisions and shape my future. I no longer have that horrible shadow of fear hanging over me. I am free and for the first time in my life, I am truly happy. The others are the same. Without Akito's influence, all of us have managed to break out of our moulds and become who we really are. It's such a glorious feeling, being able to finally let loose._

_However, though we are trying our best to move on, there are still some aspects of the past that no one can seem to let go. The biggest one of course is Takao. He and Akito are the only ones still affected by the curse. No one can work out why. In any case, everyone's really starting to worry about him (even Rin is a bit nervous about it, though she'd probably beat up anyone who even suggested it). Hatori went and saw him the other day. He came back looking really flustered and when we asked him what was up, he said that Takao felt the end was coming._

_This is bad. I wish we could find out whether it's true or not but there's no way we can make sure. After all, no one can work out what Akito's thinking any more. All we know is that it's going to happen one day. Frankly, I think most of us were surprised that it hadn't happened already. Don't get me wrong. None of us want it to happen. He's suffered enough as it is but Takao's almost seventeen and he's still living on the Outside whereas Shishou's Grandfather only had fifteen years before his time came._

_I hate this. Why can't Takao be free as well? He's been through so much already, probably more than any of us know. He doesn't deserve any more pain. None of us do._

_-An excerpt from the diary of Kagura Sohma_

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(Takao's POV)

It's been two days since Grandpa's and my little fight/breakdown. Things have been really awkward here at the dojo. Grandpa's trying to maintain the image of the eccentric, happy-go-lucky, old man but he's failing miserably. It's kinda sad to watch, especially as I'm the one who caused him to act like this in the first place.

The guys are acting really different too. Max hugs me every time he sees me now. He even wrote a song to cheer me up. Thinking about that song still gives me the shivers. Rei keeps trying to get me to open up to him. He even scheduled 'chat time' for us so I could tell him what's on my mind. I keep telling him that I'm fine and that Grandpa's and my argument has already 'cleansed me of my negative emotions' but he doesn't seem to believe me. Kai is the worst though. He doesn't say anything. He's just there, constantly. I'll be sitting by myself watching TV or something and he'll just sit down next to me, silently watching me. I even woke up from a nap once to find him standing over me. Bloody scary!

This leads me to my current situation. In order to escape the weird tension inside, I have done the only logical thing: hidden on the roof.

It's a foolproof plan. No one ever looks on the roof for someone. From the noises and shouts emanating below me, I'm pretty sure the guys still think I've hidden in a cupboard or something somewhere inside the dojo. _Mwahaha. Fools! You will never find me!_ The only one who would ever think to look for me up here is Grandpa and he knows that I don't like to be disrupted when I'm up here. Especially when the people who are searching for me are very likely to be angry that I got away in the first place. I wish I'd gotten the chance to see Kai's face though when he realised he'd been duped. Who would have thought that the great and mighty Kai would fall for the 'lumpy pillows in a vaguely human shape under the blanket trick'? I let out a small chuckle at the thought but my good humour ended abruptly, as another thought crossed my mind. _Yep. He's definitely gonna kick my arse when he finds me._

I sighed softly. _Why does life have to be so difficult? All I want is a bit of peace and quiet. Instead, I've got three people who seem afraid to leave me alone for more then a minute. Could things get any worse?_

I closed my eyes and wiggled around until I found a comfortable position on the roof tiles. The dojo was silent now. _The guys have probably gone to interrogate the neighbours_. A small yawn escaped my lips as I basked in the warmth of the midmorning sun. For the first time in two days, I felt at peace with the world. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the sky was an endless stretch of blue above me. I smiled. Nothing could ruin this moment.

"TAKAO-KUN!"

Except that.

My eyes jerked open and I sat up in one fluid motion as I recognised the voice. I looked around fearfully. Kai, Max and Rei were standing on the far side of the roof. I can practically see the angry sparks shooting from their eyes. They were pissed off but that's not what I was worried about. In front of them was a pretty girl with glinting grey eyes and pale skin running at an insanely fast speed towards me. Her shoulder length black hair rustled in the wind and her short green dress whipped around her legs as she ran.

"TAKAO-KUN," she happily sang as she continued to race towards me. She flung her arms open as she began to chant my name like a mantra, her face lit up with joy.

I felt my body tense. _Oh, crap! Not good, not good, not good!_ From the speed she was running, it was obvious that even if she tried to slow down now, her momentum would still push her into me. _This is really bad! I can't let her hug me, especially not in front of the guys. If I dodge her though, she'll end up running straight off the side of the roof._

Making up my mind in a split second, I did the only thing I could think of. Just as she reached me I threw my body backwards, allowing the combined weight of myself and the girl push us over the edge of the roof. I saw her eyes widen in shock at the same time I heard the guys scream my name and then my world became a kaleidoscope of sky and ground. I ignored the shifting scenery around me and held her protectively to my chest, making sure that I remained below her. I could feel the pull of my transformation wanting to begin but I held it off. Her safety came first.

SMACK! I cried out as my back smashed into the hard earth, snagging on a small shrub. A gnarled root dug into my side and bruised my skin. Sharp branches scratched open my arms and legs and my head throbbed. Despite the intense pain, I opened my eyes. To my relief, the black-haired girl was fine if a little winded. Reassured that she wasn't in any serious pain, I relaxed and allowed myself to transform.

POOF! In a puff of orange smoke I disappeared, only to reappear a moment later. This time though, I wasn't human. I was a cat.

Pulling myself out from under the girl, I took an inventory of my injuries. My back was aching and would no doubt be black and blue later. Blood leaked from the numerous gashes that littered my sides and limbs. Much to my surprise, I hadn't broken any bones, though I was in tremendous pain and was covered in a fine layer of dirt and leaves.

"Takao-kun?" a soft voice whispered. I looked up to see a dazed face, grey eyes watching me in concern.

"Hello Kagura," I replied, wincing slightly at how coarse my voice sounded. "Long time no see."

"I'm s-sorry," she stuttered. "I'm s-such an idiot. I f-forgot I couldn't hug you any more. I'm s-so sorry! You're hurt and it's all my fault"

"It's okay." I hesitated momentarily before I approached her, then summoning my courage I began to lick at the tears that streaked down her face. Immediately she stopped apologising, her shock at my actions evident on her face. "It really is okay Kagura. Neither of us is particularly hurt, so you have nothing to apologise for."

"But I made you transform…" she began but I cut her off.

"It's not your fault. I would have transformed if any girl had hugged me and before you start going on about how you should have known better, I can't blame you for forgetting. We haven't seen each other in almost four years. I'm not surprised some things slipped your mind when you saw me and don't forget that last time we met you were still bound by the curse like me. I was one of the few boys you could hug without turning into a boar back then. I'm not that surprised that you instinctively went to hug me as a greeting because that's what you always used to do. So don't apologise, okay? I'm not angry."

"Thank you," she sobbed hugging me tightly to her chest. I meowed in pain as she irritated the cuts on my sides.

"Haha, gomen," she apologised. She loosened her grip slightly but refused to let go completely.

For a moment we stayed like that, enjoying each other's warmth and comfort. You can imagine Kai, Max and Rei's surprise when they found us. A pale crying girl sitting in a bush clasping an orange cat covered in blood and dirt to her chest.

"Are you okay?" Rei questioned once he got over the weirdness of the situation. "Where's Takao gone? What's with the cat?"

I felt myself tense as I silently berated myself. _Stupid! I should have gotten away before they found me. I can't let them find out my secret. What do I do?_

"Oh, I'm fine," Kagura answered still smiling.

"And Takao…" Kai asked.

I swore softly as I saw Kai frown at Kagura. Knowing Kai, he would have picked up on the way she paused momentarily and tightened her grip around me before she answered. _Crap!_

"When we landed, Takao accidentally knocked this cat into the bushes. Since neither of us felt particularly injured, he went to phone a vet," Kagura replied. _Good answer!_

"Then why are his clothes in the bushes?" Kai inquired, raising one eyebrow. _Oh shit._

"You mean this?" Kagura queried holding up my now torn and filthy jacket. "He took it off before he went so I could wrap it around this cat."

_You're a genius, Kagura! Thank God she's sitting on the rest of my clothes. What would the guys think if they saw my pants, shirt and underwear just lying abandoned on the ground? As if things aren't weird enough already!_

"Oh, okay," Max said, scratching absently at his head. "So is Takao using the phone in the dojo?"

Kagura bit her lip. "I think so," she answered." Why don't you guys go see if you can find him? Knowing him, he's probably a lot more injured than he let on and is now passed out somewhere. I'll stay here and mind this cat till you return with Takao."

"We can't leave you here alone," Rei frowned. "You might have a concussion or something. Look, I'll stay here and help you take care of the cat and Max and Kai can go find Takao. Okay?"

"No!" Kagura protested. "Really I'm fine. You don't have to worry about little old me. The three of you should go look for Takao. He's more injured than I am anyway. He may need the three of you to help him with his injuries. So, yeah… Why don't the all go look for him?"

"But…" Max began.

"Please! I insist. Go find Takao, okay?" Kagura pleaded.

I could see she was sweating. It was obvious that even though it has been four years since we last saw each other, she still remembered that the length of time for each of my transformations varied. The longer the guys stayed here, the greater the risk that I'd transform back in front of them. That would be really, really bad. _Please let them fall for it. Please let Kagura persuade them to leave. I don't want them to know about this. Please!_

"Why do you want us to go away so badly? What are you hiding?" _Shit! Why does Kai always have to pick up on everything? Why can't he just accept that Kagura's fine and go look for me in the dojo? Why can't they just leave?_

"Um…" Kagura stalled as Kai glared threateningly at her. By now Rei and Max were curious about Kagura's reluctance to let them stay as well. _Oh crap! We're busted. What am I gonna do? There gonna find out. I'm gonna have to distract them. I'm gonna have to…_

"I want you to leave because when I fell off the roof my bra unhooked. I want you guys to leave so I can fix it up again, okay? Oh God. I'm so embarrassed," Kagura rapidly spoke, a fierce blush staining her cheeks.

Her confession was followed by a very awkward pause. Max and Rei both turned a brilliant shade of red whilst Kai just stood there dumbfounded. He obviously wasn't expecting an answer like that. Personally, I wasn't that surprised by Kagura's excuse for wanting them to leave. After all, I've known her since I was five. She's never been shy or self-conscious. She always used to hug me and even tried to kiss me a few times. So why would I be surprised if she used her bra unhooking as an excuse to get the guys to leave?

"Um… well we're gonna go look for Takao now," Rei mumbled. "So yeah, we'll be back when we've found him."

"Thanks" Kagura replied, her still red face avoiding his eyes. Excused, Max and Rei practically raced off. Kai walked off at a more sedate pace but it was still significantly faster than he'd normally have walked. I couldn't help but snicker. They were all a lot more innocent than I'd thought. When she was sure that they were definitely gone, Kagura released me whilst letting out a relieved sigh.

"Ah…That was really close. I'm glad they fell for it," she breathed.

"Well it was a good excuse," I laughed. "I can't believe how innocent they are though. I kinda expected Max and Rei to have been embarrassed by your excuse but I never thought Kai would have been so shocked by it,"

"He's the one with the really nasty glare, isn't he?" she inquired. She tentatively stood, checking her body for injuries.

"Yeah," I replied as I grabbed my clothes with my mouth and pulled them out of the bushes. "I'm surprised you weren't that affected by it. I mean, most people shrivel under his glare but you barely broke a sweat."

"Well, that's because I had to suffer under your glare for so many years. Kai's is impressive I'll admit but he's got nothing on you."

"I wonder how Kai would react if he heard you say that?" I smirked.

"He'd probably initiate a glaring contest between you two just to make see if it was true."

"Yeah, you're most likely right. I'm kinda glad he thinks that he thinks I'm a happy idiot. I shudder to think how tense it would be if I actually showed him the real me. Can you imagine how many competitions there would be between us? As if he didn't consider me a big enough rival already…"

POOF! Once more an orange cloud of smoke engulfed me transforming me from a cat back into a human…a naked human. I quickly rustled back into my clothes, taking special care not to irritate any of my injuries. Once I was back in my clothes, I walked over to where Kagura stood. I took her hand and squeezed it, silently conveying my thanks and appreciation that she had turned her back to me whilst I had changed, giving me some privacy. She smiled in response, nodding once to show that she understood. Then, in true Kagura form, she drew back her fist and punched me square in the jaw.

"That's for not keeping in touch with me these past four years!"

* * *

(Kai's POV)

_Okay. That was embarrassing. I was not expecting her to say that. C'mon Kai. Calm down. You can't lose your composure just because her bra unhooked… GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER! Okay, okay, deep breaths and don't you dare turn red like Max and Rei. Focus on what's important: finding Takao. Where the hell is he anyway?_

I growled quietly in frustration. Max, Rei and I had searched the whole dojo three times already and we hadn't found him yet. Where could he have gone?

"Maybe he didn't come here?" a still blushing Max ventured. "He could have gone somewhere else to use the phone."

"Why would he though?" Rei replied, scratching his head. "I mean, the closest phone is here in the dojo. Why would he go somewhere else to ring the vet? That doesn't make sense."

"Let's head back to where that girl is then," I suggested after a moment. "He might have gone back."

"Do you think we should?" Max awkwardly queried. "She might not be… ready yet."

As he said this, I saw a blushing Rei nod his head in agreement. I levelled a glare at both of them.

"Max, we've been searching for Takao for ten minutes now. If she hasn't fixed herself up by now than there's something seriously wrong with her."

"I guess…" Max conceded. His blue eyes remained uncertain though and his cheeks were still tinged red.

"Look, let's just go," I wearily sighed. As we headed back to where we had left her, I allowed my thoughts to relive the events of the morning so far.

_(WARNING: FLASHBACK)_

_We were all looking for Takao as he'd managed to elude us all morning. I was particularly angry with him because he had used his stupid pillows to make it look like he was still asleep on his bed when I went to check up on him when I woke up. We'd spent almost two hours searching for him after we discovered he was gone. Max was practically freaking out by then. Rei actually had to slap him just to stop him from having a panic attack. We had just decided to go check the park and other placed where he night go when the doorbell had rung. Thinking that Takao's Grandpa had returned from his trip to the market and forgotten his keys again, I'd opened the door to let him in. Instead of the excitable face of Takao's Grandpa, I was met with the sight of a beautiful Japanese girl with large, grey eyes. She looked at me tentatively, before asking "Is Takao he?"_

_When I said that this was his house but we didn't know where he was even though we'd been searching for him all morning, she just smiled._

_"He's probably on the roof then. Do you mind if I come in and see him?"_

_I nodded and let her in, all the time wondering how she knew him. She and Takao must be really close if she could so assuredly guess where he would be. The knowledge that I didn't know Takao as well as I'd thought hit me hard again. I never would have thought he'd have hidden on the roof, yet this girl who I'd never seen around Takao or heard him mention instantly knew his probable whereabouts. Who is she?_

_I decided to follow her to the roof to see if she was right and Takao really was up there. Max and Rei joined us too after I explained to them that this girl knew where he was. When we had climbed the ladder to the roof, I discovered that the girl had been was right. There in front of us was Takao. He looked so peaceful, his eyes closed and his face relaxed and I felt all traces of my earlier anger dissipate. The sunlight highlighted the blue in his hair, making it shine like a halo. Breathtaking was the only word that I could think of to describe his appearance at that moment. From their faces, I could tell that Max and Rei were just as enraptured as I was. This was a side of Takao we had not been privy to before. It hurt to think that he wasn't comfortable around us to normally show us this side of him._

_The moment was broken when the girl suddenly yelled his name, breaking into a run towards him. I remember seeing Takao's eyes suddenly snap open and he stood up in one fast and smooth movement. His eyes momentarily met mine and I felt my anger at him re-emerge. Then his gaze swept to take in the advancing figure of the girl and I saw his eyes widen fearfully. As the girl ploughed into, I saw his eyes change. All traces of fear had disappeared to be replaced by decisiveness and determination. My confusion over the sudden change in his gaze quickly turned to shock and horror as I saw him and the girl begin to fall off the roof. Time slowed down as I watched. I heard someone scream his name. Only afterwards did I realise that it was me that had been yelling his name._

_(END FLASHBACK)_

I tore myself out of my reverie as I reached the spot where the girl was waiting for us. Takao it seemed had returned in our absence.

"Takao!" Max and Rei called in unison. Their relief quickly turned into concern as they took in his physical state. His arms and legs were covered in small scratches, all of which were oozing blood. His clothes were ripped and he was covered in a mixture of dirt, blood and leaves. Purples bruises also marked his skin and his usually tanned skin was pale.

"Hey guys. Long time no see," Takao joked.

"Are you all right?" I winced as the words slipped out of my mouth. There goes my reputation.

"I've been better," was Takao's wry reply. Noticing our concern, he immediately sobered up. "Don't worry. My injuries aren't that bad. Nothing's broken, I've just got some bruised and scratches, is all. I'll be fine after I take a shower and fix myself up." He turned to the girl next to him. "You should probably clean yourself up too, Kagura."

"Okay! Let's have a shower together!" she proposed happily.

"WHAT?!" Max and Rei yelled, once more turning bright red.

I didn't say anything. I couldn't speak at all. I just stood in shock as my eyes went wide and a faint burning filled my cheeks. _Don't tell me Takao and that girl are lovers!_

"Don't you have any shame woman? Like I'd want to have a shower with you!" Takao angrily yelled. A fierce glare that rivalled mine marred his beet-red face.

"You're so mean!" she cried. "How could you say that to your future wife?"


	4. Chapter 4: Kagura Beyond her Heart

**Fate**

Hello again. First I'd like to apologise. I was supposed to write this chapter about a week ago but I'm really busy at the moment. Camps, excursions, assignments, exams, driving lessons, drawing, finishing my comic, work, QCS practice and life in general are all keeping me busy at the moment so I don't know how long it'll take me to update any more. So be patient please. Once more I'd like to remind you that I don't own either Beyblades or Fruits Basket so plesae refrain from suing me. I'd also like to thank the people who keep sending me reviews. I really do appreciate it and it helps inspire me so please keep reading and reviewing! Enjoy!

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Chapter 4: Kagura Beyond her Heart**

_Ever since the night when Takao and I had that fight I've been constantly plagued by the same dream. Well, it's not really a dream, is it? It's a distant memory of mine, one from my early childhood. A memory that harbours my deepest regrets._

_I can still recall every detail of that time. It was the one and only occasion that I had ever come into contact with my Grandfather. He was a man everyone treated with absolute derision and disgust. I remember I once asked my Mother why no one was allowed near him._

_She just looked at me and coldly said, "Stay away from that man. He is cursed and that curse will spread and infect any that go near him. Stay away from that man for he is the Cat."_

_As my whole family shared this sentiment, I simply accepted my Mother's words and didn't dwell on my Grandfather's situation any more after that. Then one day, I got lost whilst trying to find my ball which had fallen amongst some bushes. I was trying to find my way back to my house when I came upon the building my ostracised Grandfather resided in. I tried to sneak past the place quietly so I wouldn't alert him to my presence but since he was the Cat, I guess his hearing was good enough to pick up my muffled footsteps. The door slid open and I saw him, the cursed one. He didn't look anything like what I'd expected. He didn't look mean or scary. He just looked like a sad and lonely old man._

_"Come here, Kazuma. Would you like a sweet?" He asked in a soft voice, offering me a sweet bun._

_"I…I don't want it! It's cursed!" I replied. Those cruel words spilled thoughtlessly from my mouth. Yet, my Grandfather did not take offence. He just smiled a tired and sorrowful smile, and forgave me. He passed away soon after that incident and I never had the chance to apologise for my callousness. My family still treated him as an object of hatred even after he had died. He wasn't buried on Sohma land like the rest of my relatives. Instead, he was given a shallow burial in a distant area, far from the family compound. None of my relatives mourned his passing, nor did they hold a funeral for him. Rather, they celebrated the fact that the cursed one was gone. They were happy that he was dead, a man whose only crime was that he was born._

_That baseless prejudice is still around today, only now it is directed at Takao instead of my Grandfather. So many people view him with such distrust and disgust in their eyes simply because he is burdened with a curse that was placed millennia ago. I won't let them hurt him though. I failed my Grandfather. I will not fail Takao._

_-An excerpt from the diary of Kazuma Kinomiya (A/N: Takao's Grandpa, (1)_

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(Kai's POV)

_Future wife! What the hell?_ I knew my mouth was hanging open but at that point in time I really didn't care. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that Rei and Max were just about as shocked as me. Max probably more so considering the fact that his skin had turned a pasty white colour. Rei's eyes were widened but I could sense something other than just shock in them, understanding. That's probably because he can empathise with the situation. For me however, I couldn't relate at all. Thus, I felt completely out of my element as the words "future wife" echoed endlessly around my head. _Why didn't he ever tell us? How many more secrets does he have? Do we know Takao at all?_

"Kagura, how many times do I have to bloody tell you? We are not engaged!" Takao quietly but fiercely stated.

"But we are! You promised me remember? When we were kids you promised me that you'd make me your wife!" Kagura replied, just as heatedly.

"That's because you threatened me with that damn kitchen knife!" Takao angrily answered. "Who'd want to marry you anyway?"

"Takao! How could you say that to girl? That's just cruel," Rei commented aghast.

"Yeah," a shaky Max agreed. "Are you all right?" he asked Kagura.

She nodded silently, her head downcast allowing her hair to hide her face. Her shoulders were shaking slightly.

"Aren't you going to apologise?" Max shot at Takao. Rei glared at Takao, as if daring him to say no.

I watched Takao intensely to see what he would do. Usually when he was angry, Takao wouldn't be able to sit still. He would fidget and pace constantly and he would start yelling out whatever came to mind. He wasn't acting like that this time though. Instead, his fists were clenched, his body was tense and he was glaring but he barely moved. He didn't say a word either as he continued to glare down Max and Rei. After a while, his gaze shifted to the still quivering and despondent Kagura. He obviously saw something he wanted to see because after a while he nodded.

"I'm gonna go take a shower and get cleaned up", Takao declared ignoring Rei and Max's bewildered faces. "Kagura, there's some herbal tea in the back of the cupboard."

Without uttering another word, he turned his back and walked with a slight limp into the dojo and out of sight.

"That bastard!" Max said through gritted teeth. "He didn't even apologise to her."

I turned to look at her whilst Max and Rei began to think up suitable punishments for Takao's behaviour. She still hadn't stopped shaking. In fact, her shaking had intensified. Her shoulders were now heaving up and down and her legs could barely support her any more. Concerned, I approached her. Suddenly her legs gave out and she fell onto her knees, her arms clutching her sides. Her dark hair was an erratic curtain blocking her face from view. Alarmed at her behaviour, I yelled out to Max and Rei. Hearing my call, the two immediately dropped their conversation and raced over to where I was. Upon seeing Kagura's condition, Rei and Max both swore violently and reached out to comfort the girl. Before they could touch her however, she rolled onto her side and began to roll around, her face now covered by her hands.

"She's having a fit!" Rei yelled.

Responding immediately, I quickly grabbed her hands and forced them away from her body so she wouldn't hurt herself while she was thrashed about. Whilst I did this, Rei and Max each grabbed and anchored one of her legs. Certain that she was no longer in danger of injuring herself, I looked at her face. Her hair covered her face and I pulled it away in case she choked on it. Now that I could see her face, I took time to carefully study it. Tears were streaming from her eyes, dirt covered her face and… she was smiling. Scratch that. She was bloody laughing! As her hair and her hands were no longer muffling the sound, her laughter resounded clearly around us. Like me, Max and Rei had realised she was laughing instead of having spasms and had promptly let go of her legs. All three of us stood up and took a step back, trying to rectify the image of the now laughing Kagura with the heartbroken one we had thought existed. Finally her mirth calmed down enough for her to sit up and look over to us.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you worry," she giggled. "But I couldn't help it. I haven't had fun like this in a while."

"But why are you laughing," I inquired.

"Yeah," Rei agreed. "I mean Takao said some pretty cruel things to you just now. Why aren't you hurt."

Her eyes softened as she looked at us and a content smiled graced her face.

"Why don't we go into the kitchen and I'll make us some tea," she suggested. Then, in an act reminiscent of Takao, she turned without another word and walked into the dojo. Without anything else to do, Rei, Max and I followed.

When we arrived at the kitchen, we found her already rummaging through the cupboard, obviously in search of the herbal tea Takao had mentioned. Uncertain of what was expected of us, we sat down and watched her dig through the cupboard.

"Gotcha," she exclaimed, pulling out the herbal tea packet. For a moment she studied the package before another soft smile appeared on her face. Still smiling she began to make the tea whilst Rei, Max and I sat in awkward silence.

"I should probably start by introducing myself properly," Kagura began abruptly. She turned to face us before bowing humbly. "My name is Kagura Sohma and I am one of Takao's many cousins."

"You are?" a confused Max replied before he himself bowed. "I am Max Mizuhara by the way.

"My name is Rei Kon," Rei stated as he too bowed. "How can you be engaged to him if you're cousins?"

"When any member of my family uses the word 'cousin', it's usually in a very broad sense. I don't know what my true relation to Takao is it's that distant. Our family is so large we just refer to everyone as cousins. So marriage between two Sohmas is acceptable and even quite common," Kagura answered whilst she continued to brew the tea.

"Why is Takao's last name Kinomiya instead of Sohma?" I asked curiously. Noticing her pointed look, I bowed and introduced myself.

"Kinomiya is Takao's Mother's maiden name," Kagura answered. Before I got a chance to ask why he went by his Mother's name, Kagura switched topics.

"You want to know why I found Takao and my fight before so funny, right?" she asked. Upon receiving three nods, she continued. "It's because Takao and I have always fought about our supposed engagement since when we were kids. Before you ask, yes the only reason why he promised to marry me in the first place was because I threatened him with a kitchen knife."

"If you yourself know that Takao doesn't want to marry you, why do you keep insisting then?" Max asked.

"It's a running joke between us. The reason I was so happy that we fought is because I'm relieved."

"Relieved?" Rei queried.

Kagura nodded. "I haven't seen Takao in almost four years. In that time, so much has happened to both of. So much has changed and yet Takao and I can still fight just like we did when we were kids. I'm happy because it means that Takao hasn't forgotten me and that we still share a bond despite the years we've been apart. I know it's a bit selfish of me to want to cling to a childhood memory like this but I think it's okay because I'm sure Takao feels the same. That's why he acted as he did. So you guys should probably stop thinking up punishments for him," Kagura concluded. Noticing the surprised looks on our faces, Kagura passed each of us a cup of tea.

"That's beautiful," Max commented after a while. I felt compelled to nod in agreement as I sipped my tea.

"How do you know he feels the same way?" Rei asked. It was obvious he too was moved by the story.

"Takao is one of those people who communicates his feelings through actions rather than words," Kagura responded. "For example," she said as she picked up the herbal tea packet. "This is my favourite type of tea."

* * *

(Takao's POV)

I smiled as I made my way to the bathroom, stopping briefly at my room in order to pick up some clothes and my first aid kit. _She's still the same old Kagura. Some things never change._

Once I arrived in the bathroom, I carefully removed my clothes being careful not to aggravate my wounds any further. Looking in the mirror, I finally realised the extent of my injuries. My arms and legs were covered in shallow scratches, all of which were steadily bleeding. My back was a mass of bruises from where the roots had dug into my back. The most troublesome injury though, was the three parallel scars on my torso, which had reopened. I winced as I studied them. Though they were old wounds, they still remained very deep cuts and had never properly healed. "Cursed wounds". That's what Grandpa called them. He was most likely right too. Sighing I turned on the water and stepped into the shower. My injuries stung as I washed them but I ignored the pain, concentrating instead on making sure I cleaned them all properly. I also spent a bit of time cleaning the red and white bracelet on my wrist, careful not to let it fall off my wrist.

Once I had removed all traces of blood and dirt, I began the painstaking and time-consuming job of disinfecting and bandaging up all my open wounds. I was glad to find that the only wounds that needed stitches were the three deep cuts across my torso. With practised ease I quickly stitched the wounds closed and tightly wrapped a bandage around them. Once I was done, I donned a pair of loose tracksuit pants and a soft, dark blue long-sleeved shirt. I quickly ran a brush through my hair before tying it up loosely. I dumped my dirty and torn clothes in the laundry hamper along with my cap and headed downstairs, once more checking that my bracelet was securely on my wrist.

"Bathroom's free," I told Kagura as I entered the kitchen.

"Thanks," she replied as she walked past me and out of the room.

I took a seat and poured myself a cup of tea. The tea immediately eased some of the aches in my body and I felt myself relax.

"What?" I queried when I noticed everyone was staring at me.

"Kagura told us about herself whilst you were gone," Rei replied. "She also explained the relationship between you two."

"Don't tell me she's convinced you guys that she's my fiancée," I groaned.

"No, she told us how you two are cousins and that the whole 'engagement' thing between you guys is a running joke between you," Max said reassuringly.

"So she's finally accepted it huh? I'm glad," I smiled.

"What do you mean?" Kai asked staring at me intensely.

"The last time I saw her, when she mentioned our engagement I didn't yell at her like I usually did. I knew that I wouldn't be seeing her in a while so I decided to make it definitely clear to her that I couldn't reciprocate her feelings. I wanted to make it clear so that she could move on and find someone new instead of wasting her time thinking about me. I think she always knew that I didn't love her in that way but she never let that knowledge sink in. So when I finally told her outright, she broke down and cried, and for the first time she dropped all barriers and told me the truth. She told me the real reason why she had liked me in the first place. She told me everything even though she had to expose an ugly side of her that she wanted to deny. However, though her motives weren't always pure, she truly did grow to love and that's why she had trouble accepting my decision. I was worried that she still hadn't comes to terms with it. I'm glad to see that she has." I finished with a soft smile.(_2)_

"That was beautiful," a teary-eyed Max commented. Rei and Kai nodded in agreement.

"What do you mean when you said 'her motives weren't always pure'?" Rei asked confused.

"It's exactly as it sounds," a cleaned-up Kagura replied as she entered the room. "I was selfish and pitiful when I was a child. I probably still am though I am endeavouring to rectify this. In any case, the exact details of Takao and my relationship I'd like to keep just between us two."

"Of course," Kai accepted.

Kagura smiled in response as she sat down next to me.

"Homies! I'm home!" Grandpa's voice echoed through the dojo.

"We're in the kitchen, "I yelled in reply.

A couple of seconds later, Grandpa had joined us in the kitchen.

"Master! Long time no see," Kagura greeted jumping up to hug him.

"Kagura! My, haven't you grown up nicely. It's good to see you again," Grandpa responded happily. His happy demeanour vanished when he saw me. "Takao, what have you done to yourself?" he asked alarmed.

Looking down I noticed that the sleeves of my shirt had ridden up, exposing the white bandages underneath.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," I reassured him.

"It's my fault he's injured," Kagura confessed. "I ran and hugged him on the roof and we were both knocked over the edge. Takao took the brunt of the fall to protect me."

Grandpa's eyebrows drew together as he looked at me again.

"Are you all right?" he asked. I knew he meant two things by this question. Number one was 'are you badly injured?' and number two was 'did the guys find out about your tendency to transform into a cat?'

"Everything's fine," I responded. Grandpa nodded, relieved.

Suddenly a soft ring tone began to play startling everyone.

"Sorry," Kagura apologised as she pulled out her mobile. "Hello?" she spoke into the receiver.

We all sat in silence as we waited for her to finish her conversation.

"Okay, bye," Kagura disconnected the call before turning to face us again. "I'm sorry but I've got to go now. I'm supposed to be meeting up with some friends from school."

"Oh, all right. Come and visit us again soon," Grandpa suggested.

"Sure," came her eager reply. "It was nice meeting you all," she said to Rei, Kai and Max. She turned back to me and kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you for forgiving me," she smiled.

"Thank you for staying by me," I replied, smiling as well. I could see that Kai, Rei and Max were confused by the words being exchanged between us but I didn't care. Some things just had to be said.

"Ja ne!" she cried, waving happily before she raced out of the room. Three seconds later, she was back again. "I forgot to tell you the reason why I came. Make sure you keep the week before your birthday free, okay?"

"Why?" I asked.

She just smiled. "It's a secret. Ja ne." Without another word, she dashed out of the dojo leaving five very confused people behind.

1 This bit is based off Chapter 34 in Volume 6.

2 Based on Chapter 68 from Volume 12.


	5. Chapter 5: 20 Questions

**Fate**

Hi everyone! Sorry it's been a little while since I've updated but I've had block exams this week. Geez I hate exams! Especially Maths B exams stupid things. Anyhoo, welcome to chapter 5 of my little fan fic. It's going quite well, I think. There are a few things I'd like to ask you though. What kinda pairings do you guys want? I can't promise you you'll get the pairing you want but I would like some ideas. Remember that you've got both Beyblade and Fruits Basket characters to pair up. So go nuts with ur responses. Also I keep mentioning Max's 'cheer up' song throughout my story. I was wondering if anyone out there wants to have a go at writing one. It doesn't have to be good. In fact, it'll probably be better if it's bad in a cheesy sort of way. So yeah, if ur up to the challenge write a verse or two and email it to me. The best response (if anyone actually does it) will be posted onto the opening part of one of my future chapters. Well good luck, enjoy this chapter and I'll talk to u again soon. (I'll try my best to update soon. Ganbarimasu!)

**Chapter 5: Twenty Questions, Two Pairs of Missing Eyebrows and One Big Piece of News.**

_The end is in sight. I can feel it in my blood, in my bones, in my very soul. The darkness around me is deepening. It's becoming difficult even to breathe or move. I'm all alone now, trapped in this endless pit of suffering and misery. Everyone has left me, save one. He and I are the last of our kind. The only ones still fettered by this ancient curse. He is the only person who has any inkling to how I feel. The others, the ones who abandoned me try to delve into my mind and my heart but they make no progress. How can they when they have lost touch of what this curse really means? To them it's just a fading dream or a passing memory, not an inescapable reality like it is for me. They were so shocked when I announced my plans. I'm going to add my own unique touch to what their little celebration, as is my right as head of the family. The end is nigh. It seems only right to celebrate it in some way. I'll make this an event to remember. I'll let no one stop me. This is my will. God's will._

_-An extract from the diary of Akito Sohma_

* * *

(Kai's POV) 

I couldn't sleep. My mind was maelstrom of whirling thoughts. _What's Takao's secret? What did that Kagura girl mean when she told him to keep the week before his birthday free? Why won't anyone tell us about Takao's childhood? What's up with Takao and Kagura's relationship? Why the hell does this bother me so much?_

I groaned. It's obvious I'm not gonna get any sleep tonight. I slowly got out of bed and went to my open window. The cool breeze made me shiver as I stared at the beautiful sky above me. A multitude of twinkling stars lay scattered across the cloudless firmament. The stark comparison between the radiant pinpricks of light and the deep, endless darkness surrounding them was breathtaking. However, it was the full moon that caught my eye. The moon was a vibrant yellow, making it look remarkably like a cat's eye. For some reason, this notion filled me with a strong sense of serenity and I felt myself relax. My once aggravated mind was now calm and I enjoyed the brief break in my wondering.

A soft swish interrupted the peaceful moment. I frowned, thinking that I had just imagined the noise but then I heard it again and again. Curious but not alarmed I decided to investigate. Quickly throwing on a pair of loose tracksuit pants over my boxers and a light jacket over my tee, I made my way as silently as possible towards the swishing sound. It was coming from outside the dojo, I guessed. My suspicion was confirmed when I found the door leading from the kitchen to the backyard pulled open. I stealthily walked up to the doorway and peered out. I could feel my mouth drop open in shock.

Dressed in loose navy blue pants and a black singlet, Takao stood in the centre of the yard with his eyes shut. Bandages wrapped up the length of both his arms and his tied back hair was saturated in sweat. Despite this, his breathing was calm and even and his hands, which were by his side, were relaxed. The full moon's light bathed him, making his skin seem to be luminescent and his hair shone a deep sapphire. He stood completely still, his breathing the only indication he wasn't a statue. It was a surreal sight. The air felt pregnant with anticipation, as if something momentous was just about to happen. I found myself holding my breath in expectation, too caught up in the strange atmosphere to think properly.

SWISH. In a sudden, graceful movement, Takao had unsheathed a katana that had been strapped to his back. The sharp, silver blade sang as it swept through the air in elegant arcs. The moonlight danced along with it, the silver of the blade throwing glowing shards of light into the shadows of the night. As the sword moved, so did Takao. His movements flowed as smooth as water and his speed rivalled the wind. His confident steps, the smooth slashes of his sword, his silken hair a wave of molten sapphire and the golden flashes of the light of the moon reflecting in his blade all combined into a breathtaking scene. I felt awed… no humbled by what I was witnessing. I never knew Takao was such a master of the sword. I was so caught up in Takao's display that it took me a moment to release he was speaking to me.

"Couldn't sleep?" Takao guessed as he continued his sword dance. I started, wondering how he knew I was there when his eyes were shut. I'd been so careful to not make a sound either. _How does he know I'm here?_

"Kai, I know you're there. It's rude to ignore someone who is talking to you."

_How does he know it's me? His eyes are still closed and it's not like I've made my presence known._

Takao sighed, his brow furrowing. After one last leap through the air, he slid his sword deftly back into its sheath and opened his eyes.

"I don't mind if you watch me training but please at least have the decency to respond to me when I talk to you. I don't like it when people just stare silently at me. It gives me goosebumps," Takao puffed as he approached me. I just continued to look at him.

Rolling his eyes, he announced, "I'll make us some tea since neither of us seems to be able to sleep."

I followed him into the kitchen, studying him as I walked. His skin was still flushed with sweat but his breathing was slowly returning to normal. The katana was still strapped to his back, held in an intricately carved and patterned scabbard. The hilt was long and slim, wrapped in black and navy blue material. A length of dark blue fabric secured the weapon to his back. I took the seat across from him as he prepared the tea. His movements were just as graceful and coordinated as they had been whilst exercising with his sword.

"I never knew you were so skilled with a sword," I commented as he handed me a cup.

"Well I have been practicing for years now. Ever since I was four, I believe," he replied, sipping his tea.

"Why didn't you ever tell us?" I asked suddenly. Both he and I knew we were talking about more than just his training.

"No one ever asked," he replied slowly.

"That's your reason?" I exclaimed, incredulous. "Takao, we've all been worried sick about you. All of a sudden we discover your health is affected by the weather and you've got all these relatives we didn't know you had. Not to mention your and Grandpa's almost breakdown. In one week our perception of you has completely changed. What other secrets are you keeping from us?"

I knew I was ranting and that would do some serious damage on my reputation but I couldn't stop myself. The words just kept coming.

"I know that we've kept things from you before but we feel like we don't even know you any more. Who are you Takao?"

I watched as he took in all I'd said. I felt light, as if a huge burden had just been lifted from my shoulders. Relishing the feeling, I calmly took a sip of my tea while I waited for his response.

"Since you kept saying 'we' instead of 'I', I assume that you, Max and Rei have been discussing this issue a lot?" Seeing me nod in response, he continued. "What do you want to know then? I'll give you twenty questions. You can ask anything though I maintain the right to refuse to answer. In response to your earlier question, I am Takao Kinomiya. You have nineteen questions left," he chuckled.

"How are you related to the Sohmas?" I began.

"Through my Father," he responded.

"Why is your last name Kinomiya then? Don't people usually go by their Father's last name?"

"I once did but I took my Mother's maiden name when I move in with Grandpa. I did not like my Father and yes people usually go by their Father's last name. Sixteen questions left," he grinned.

I grimaced, vowing not to waste any more of my questions.

"Where are your Mother and Father now?"

"My Mother is dead and my Father lives on the Sohma compound whenever he isn't travelling around doing archaeology."

I paused for a moment, considering my next question.

"Have you always lived in this dojo?"

"No"

"Where did you live before you moved here?"

"I lived on the Sohma compound."

"What did you mean when you said 'the end is nigh'?"

"I don't wanna answer that."

"Okay, why do you think you're a burden on everyone?"

"I don't wanna answer that either."

"Do I get still lose questions if you refuse to answer them?"

Takao laughed quietly.

"No but you just wasted one of them when you asked that."

Cursing quietly, I continued my interrogation.

"Why is Grandpa so worried about you?"

"Because he doesn't want to lose me."

"Why does he think he might lose you?"

"'Cause he's my Grandpa," Takao shrugged.

I frowned, unsatisfied with his answer but I decided to let it drop.

"Why does the weather affect your health?"

"It's only the rain that makes me feel like crap and I don't know why I'm so affected by it. It's part of my constitution, I guess."

"Have you always been affected by it?"

"Yes."

"Do you always go training at four in the morning?"

"Always. I think I first started when I was five or six."

"Why do you train at 4am instead of at a more reasonable hour?"

"For a couple of reasons. Firstly, I'm busy most of the day. Secondly, I like the peace and quiet. It's easier to focus on my training if no one else is around. Lastly, it's something to keep me occupied if I can't sleep."

"You mentioned you couldn't sleep before. Why can't you sleep?'

"I have bad dreams sometimes. Training calms me down."

"I never knew you had bad dreams. What are they about?"

"I'm not gonna answer that."

"Do you always have bad dreams? Is that why you always train?"

"Not always and partly yes. You've got three questions left by the way."

"What was your childhood like before you moved here?"

For the first time, I noticed a slight crack in Takao's composure. He was obviously hesitant to answer.

"Um… it wasn't the best time of my life. I had few friends and I'd just lost my Mother. My Father was being a bastard to me and there were many people there who…didn't like me. Frankly, I'm glad I left that place. I…I wouldn't be nearly as happy there as I am here."

I nodded in acknowledgment to his response whilst silently promising myself to find out more about the Sohmas.

"You and that Kagura girl seemed pretty close even though you say you haven't seen her in four years. It's obvious she knows you well. What's your real relationship with her?"

"We are not nor ever have been lovers," Takao stated, blushing slightly. "Kagura is my cousin. We grew up together. She was the first real friend I had and she and I… once shared a common bond. There are some people who I can easily relate to because we share or once shared a common experience. Kagura is one of those few. Hatori is as well and before you ask, I'm not gonna tell you what that common experience is. Now, what's your last question?"

"Why is their blood seeping through the bandages on your arms?"

"Hmm… I didn't even realised they'd opened up. It just the scratches I got yesterday from falling of the roof," he remarked for my benefit. Sighing, he quickly walked out of the room. I continued to sip my tea as I stored all of the information I'd gained about Takao into my memory. Takao entered the room again a minute later, this time carrying a white case.

"What's that?" I questioned.

"Your twenty questions is up," Takao laughed. Noticing my glare, Takao opened the case and showed me the contents. Inside was a myriad of first-aid products. Bandages, bandaids, antiseptics, cotton wool, even needle and thread for stiches. I watched as Takao unwound the bandages on his arms, wincing when I saw the bruises and scratches that decorated his arms.

"I thought you weren't badly injured," I commented. Takao looked startled at me remark.

"But I'm not," he answered, confused.

I frowned as I looked again at his bleeding and bruised arms. _His injuries aren't serious but they are pretty bad. Why doesn't he think he's badly injured? The fact that he's confused about my statement can only mean that he's been injured worse than this before. When?_

I continued to study him as he calmly tended his wounds. I was surprised how quickly and efficiently he handled the task. He didn't even wince when he put the antiseptic on his wounds. He must have done this before. _No. Based on how proficiently he's doing this, it's obvious he's done this many times before._

"How often do you have to treat your own wounds?" I questioned.

"Why do you ask?" Takao shot back.

"It's obvious you know what you're doing. You must have done this quite a lot."

"Well I do live in a dojo with a man who has a fetish for hitting people with a kendo stick," Takao replied.

Once more I nodded though I knew he had not given me a completely honest answer. We sat in silence for a while; each of us absorbed in our own thoughts. Finally Takao broke the silence.

"Look Kai," he sighed. "I know that you guys have had to put up with a lot from me recently. The truth is I'm going through a bit of a difficult time at the moment and things don't seem to be approving. I appreciate the concern you all have for me but all I really need at the moment is for you guys to act normally. No more silently watching me, no more 'chat time' with Rei and please stop Max from singing those stupid 'cheer up' songs. I need normalcy not people who are uncomfortable around me. Please Kai. I need my friends at the moment," he pleaded"

"Fine," I sighed, unable to resist his puppy dog eyes. "I'll talk to Max and Rei about it."

"Cheers," he replied, relieved.

"Were we that bad?" I couldn't resist asking. Takao flashed me a lopsided grin.

"You have no idea," he laughed. "Seriously though, if I have to hear Max's 'cheer up' song one more time, I swear I'll go insane."

I smiled unable to resist his merriment. _He's finally back to normal. I'm_ _glad._

* * *

(Takao's POV) 

I hummed loudly as I showered, too happy to be self-conscious. I'd had another nightmare last night but that inconvenience was overshadowed by the decent conversation I'd had with Kai. It seems we were finally over the awkwardness between us. I'd answered some of his questions about me so his curiosity had subsided a bit and he'd promised me to talk Max and Rei into acting normally around me. I couldn't help chuckling as I recalled Kai asking me why he had to talk the guys into behaving normally around me.

"Because I'm not gonna want to go within shouting distance of them for a while today," I'd replied to his question. He'd given me an odd look then but I think he understands why now. After all, I doubt he'd want to be near a pissed off Rei or Max either. I smirked as I relived the fun I'd had this morning. I_ finally got to extract my revenge against them, for all the times they woke me up by pouring buckets of water on me. Today was my chance to wake them up._

I continued to hum as I turned off the tap and stepped out of the shower, pointedly ignoring the vulgar curses and threats being directed at me from the other side of the bathroom door. I hummed louder and louder as the hammering on the door reached a crescendo. Finally dressed, I turned my back to the door and jumped easily through the window, landing safely on the grass outside. I smiled as I walked into the kitchen, shutting the dojo door behind me to keep the cold breeze out. Kai and Grandpa were already up, each sitting with a cup of coffee and a newspaper.

"Morning dude," Grandpa greeted me. For a moment a glimmer of concern was evident on his face but that faded immediately on seeing my cheerful disposition.

"Based on the fact that Rei and Max are both soaked, swearing violently and have no eyebrows, I assume you're back to your usual charming self?" he asked with distinct mirth in his tone.

"Did you miss me?" I laughed. "In any case they deserved it. Do you know how many times they've woken me up by dumping a bucket of freezing cold water on? I just returned the favour," I stated innocently.

"I don't recall them ever shaving your eyebrows off though," Kai commented, his face hidden by the newspaper.

"That was an added bonus and for your information, I didn't shave their eyebrows off. I simply put toothpaste on them. It's not my fault the toothpaste burnt the hairs away. Blame the Colgate people," I replied, snatching up a piece of toast.

"They're gonna kill you when they find you," Kai calmly declared.

"Yeah but they have to find me first. They still think I'm locked in the bathroom." I was about to sit down when I heard the doorbell ring. I raced to the door, curious to see whom our early morning visitor was.

"Mr Dickenson!" I greeted excitedly as I opened the door. "How are you sir?"

"Excellent," he answered jovially. "May I come in? I have an important announcement for you boys."

I smiled as I gestured him inside, shutting the dojo door behind him.

"So what's the big news," I questioned him after he'd settled into the kitchen and finished greeting Kai and Grandpa.

"Well, I'm happy to tell you that there'll be a beyblade tournament held in about a months time.

"Really?" yelled an excited Max as he bounced into the room. The news about the tournament had obviously lightened the mood of Max and Rei as they barely even glanced in my direction as they danced in joy. I didn't really share their excitement though. In fact, my optimistic mood quickly vanished.

"Yes, it'll be quite an event. Beybladers from all over the world will be coming to Japan for this event. It's taking place in Tokyo by the way," Mr Dickinson continued, oblivious to my darkening mood. Kai was no so unobservant though.

"What's up Takao? You don't look thrilled," he frowned.

"By the sounds of it, it's taking place the week before my birthday. I promised Kagura to keep that week free remember?"

"I'm sorry to here that," Mr Dickinson responded, his brow furrowed. "It really will be an exciting tournament, especially as it is being hosted by one of the most powerful and influential families in Japan. Akito Sohma has promised the world a beybattle unlike any previously seen."

"AKITO!" Grandpa and I yelled at the same time, knocking our chairs over as we both leapt to our feet.

"You know him?" Mr Dickinson inquired; looking alarmed at our reactions.

"You said his last name was Sohma, didn't you," Rei directed at Mr Dickinson. On receiving a nod of agreement, Rei continued. "Is he another one of your relatives Takao?"

"Yeah," I replied weakly as I struggled to gather my thoughts. "I guess this is what Kagura was hinting at," I said half to myself.

"Cool," Max grinned as he looked at me. "That means you can participate in the tournament after all."

"Yeah…sure," I agreed feebly. Sharing a look with Grandpa, I took my seat again. _It seems I have no choice._

"Well then," Mr Dickinson started, once more blind to my inner turmoil. "I guess it's sorted. You guys should better start training then."

"Yay!" Rei and Max sang as they did a happy dance.

"By the way Max, Rei," Mr Dickinson said. "Why don't either of you have eyebrows?"


	6. Chapter 6: Black and White

**Fate**

Hmm… I'm starting to wonder if anyone actually reads these messages that I put up here? Well, if you do that's great 'cause heaven knows I would probably ignore it if I was reading this. Sad but true. I'd like to remind everyone that no I do not own the characters, etc of Beyblades or Fruits Basket. The plot of this story is mine however and I'm quite proud. Lol. I just wanna say that though I mainly trying to stick to Japanese names, I'm gonna use Kenny instead on his Jap name cos I can't remember how to spell it and writing Kenny is so much easier and sounds better. So yeah, thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far. I appreciate it and I hope you keep them coming as they do inspire me to write more. Basically, the more reviews I get, the faster I update. So please remember to review. Hope you enjoy this chapter and I'll update when I can. Ja ne!

**Chapter 6: Black and White**

_The guys are treating me normally again. I'm so happy. It's been so awkward these past couple of days but hopefully that's all behind us now. _

_I'm glad that we have this tournament to focus on. It's the perfect distraction. No one can spare the time to ask me questions that I don't want to answer. It's a lot easier keeping up this act when they're too busy worrying about training to notice the slight lapses I occasionally have in my façade, which is good as it's getting harder and harder to stay cheerful nowadays. I'm getting less sleep because of those nightmares and my appetite fades every time I think about my future. Luckily no one's caught on yet though I think Grandpa senses I'm hiding something from him. I think he expects me to talk to him about everything but I can't seem to bring myself to. Grandpa is the one who rescued me from everything. He's the one who adopted me when no one else in my family wanted me. I can't bear the thought of discussing my fate with him even though he knows what's gonna happen to me. How can you just discuss something like that? I'm so lost…_

_-An extract from the diary of Takao Kinomiya_

* * *

(Takao's POV) 

I collapsed on the ground, sighing in weariness. My body felt like lead, all my muscles pounding with pain every time I moved. I greedily heaved in air in an effort to slow my racing heart and ease the tenseness in my limbs. I could feel Rei and Max on either side of me struggling to do the same.

"You're all grossly unfit," an annoyed voice observed.

Ignoring the pain in my neck, I turned my head so I could glare at Kai.

"You're a slave driver," I replied.

"You need to be physically fit if you want to stand any chance in the upcoming tournament," he explained. "It's not my fault none have you have bothered staying in shape after our last tournament."

I narrowed my eyes as he smirked at me. He knows damn well that I've kept up with my training. I'm probably the fittest of us all. _Damn bastard. Making us do laps while he just stood there and yelled at us to hurry up. Stupid, sadistic git…_

"Aw c'mon Kai," an out of breath Max grumbled. "We deserved a break after that last tournament. You can't blame us for wanting to take it easy and not train for a bit."

"Yeah," Rei chipped in. "How were we supposed to know a tournament was just gonna pop up like this?"

"Expect the unexpected," Kai quoted in response.

"That still doesn't give you the right to yank us out of bed at dawn and tell us to do a hundred laps around the park!" Max yelled in exasperation.

"Just be glad I let you change out of your pyjamas first," was Kai's reply.

Before Max could retort my mobile started ringing, effectively breaking up the argument that was no doubt about to take place.

"Hello? This is Takao."

"TAKAO, WHERE ARE YOU!?"

"Chief? Is that you?" I asked holding the phone away from my ear as he yelled his reply.

"OF COURSE IT'S ME. WHERE ARE YOU? YOU SAID YOU'D PICK ME UP AT THE TRAIN STATION AT TEN REMEMBER?"

I quickly took a look at my watch and swore. I was already an hour late.

"Shit, sorry Chief. I'll be along in a minute, 'kay?"

"Whatever. Just hurry up okay? I can't carry all this stuff on my own."

"Right, see you soon."

I hung up before turning to the guys.

"I forgot to tell you. Kenny's coming back from that summer camp today. I was supposed to pick him up an hour ago."

"Well let's go get him then," Max cheerfully exclaimed as he and Rei jumped up and started heading towards the train station.

"Typical," I heard Kai quietly murmur to himself as he followed them at a more sedate pace.

My feet dragged as I chased after them, all the while wondering if Kai had been referring to Max and Rei's behaviour or mine.

* * *

We all arrived at the train station ten minutes later and began our search for the Chief. The place was absolutely packed with people, making it difficult to move let alone find their short friend. 

"Where is he?" Rei wondered after twenty minutes of fruitless searching. "Didn't you two organise where you were gonna meet?" he asked me.

"Not really," I shrugged. Rei sighed in response, clearly frustrated with me.

"Hey, chill Rei. We'll find him soon," Max calmly stated. I nodded to support Max's statement before going back to randomly looking around in the hopes of spotting our elusive friend.

"There!" I yelled, pointing towards the unmistakable, puffing hair of the Chief. I latched onto the nearest person's wrist and began dragging them to where I'd just spotted him, hoping the others were following.

"Takao, will you please let go of my arm?"

I halted and turned. Kai glared at me causing me to hastily drop his wrist.

"Sorry Kai, I guess I just got a bit overexcited," I explained sheepishly.

"Takao! There you are," the Chief called as he raced over to where Kai and I were.

"Sorry I was so late," I greeted, silently relieved that he had broken up the tense moment between Kai and I. _Geez, does he have to glare at me for everything? All I did was grab his wrist._

"Kenny!" Rei and Max bellowed as they both glomped (A/N: Hehe… glomp) him.

"How was summer camp?" Rei questioned.

"Oh, it was awesome. I met so many awesome people there! This one guy even taught me how to hack! It's so cool!"

"Woah!" I laughed, caught up in Kenny's excitement. "You do know that's kinda illegal right?"

"Yeah but it's so cool!" came his jovial reply. "By the way, I met someone there who knew you."

"Who doesn't?" I pompously asked as I puffed out my chest and flicked back my hair. Max and Rei started laughing and I swear even Kai lips twitched upwards for a second.

"Modest, aren't you?" the Chief grinned. "No, I meant someone who actually knew you personally."

"Who?" I asked again, generally curious. Kenny just pointed behind me. Before I had chance to react, I felt myself being turned around and lifted fireman style.

"Haru?" I muttered, bewildered.

"You're too light," he remarked unemotionally. "You need to eat more."

I sweat dropped. _Same old Haru…_

"Takao, who is this?" Rei asked. Detecting a faint hint of nervousness in his voice, I turned and looked at him. He, along with Kai and Max were wearily studying the guy who still hadn't put me down. I snickered as I imagined what was running through their heads. This wasn't the first time people had been a little bit off-put by Haru's appearance. Truth be told he looked like a yankee with the top part of his unruly hair white and the bottom black. His black, leather pants, studded belt, form-fitting, black sleeveless shirt and multiple necklaces and earrings probably supported that notion too.

"This is my cousin Hatsuharu Sohma," I introduced.

"It's nice to meet you," he calmly greeted. Ignoring my pleas to 'put me down', he bowed respectfully to them.

The guys each introduced themselves, though each still seemed weary around him.

"Haru, will you please put me down? This is getting embarrassing," I squirmed.

"You've really mellowed out," he commented. He paused, regarding me with his deep black eyes before seeming to come to a decision. "I want tacos for lunch."

I sweat dropped again. _Yep, definitely hasn't changed._

"Well if you put me down we can go get some," I suggested, blatantly ignoring the laughter coming from my so-called 'friends'.

"Nope, I'm not losing you when it took me so long to find you," was Haru's response.

"You were searching for me?" Upon seeing Haru nod in assent, I continued. "How long have you been looking?"

"Well I left the Sohma compound on Tuesday. Today's Saturday"

"He turned up at camp on Thursday night," Kenny cut in. "Since I had to catch a train here anyway, I persuaded the people who ran the camp to let him stay with me so we could travel here together. I didn't think it was the best idea to let him just wander off again, especially if he is _your _cousin."

Ignoring the insinuation, I turned back to face Haru.

"Haru," I groaned. "You should know by now that your sense of direction is crap. Chief's camp is about two days walk from the Sohma compound_ in the wrong direction_. Why didn't you just get someone to drive you here?"

"Couldn't have," Haru replied nonchalantly. "Couldn't let Akito know where I was going."

"Well then, why didn't you just take a train or something?"

"I was intending to but after about fifteen minutes of walking to the train station, I found myself in a deep forest. I saw a snake," he concluded proudly.

"I give up," I sighed. "Let's just go home. You should probably call your parents."

"Alright, let's go," Haru nodded, walking off with me still in his arms.

"Haru, my house is that way," I stated, pointing in the opposite direction.

"Right," he said walking off again.

"Can one of you guys lead please?" I pleaded to Max, Rei, Kai and Kenny.

"I will," Max volunteered, rushing forward and leaving Kai and Rei to help Kenny with his luggage.

* * *

"Well, there goes my reputation," I sighed as we entered the dojo. "Oh God, I'm never gonna live this down. Why were there so many people outdoors today anyway? It's bad enough Kenny's parents saw me like that when we dumped all that luggage there but to think that half my bloody neighbourhood saw me getting carried around like that…ARGH! " 

I pulled at my hair in irritation as I remembered all the strange looks I'd gotten as we'd walked back from the train station. _I should've just forced Haru to let me down but that could've made him turn 'black' and he becomes uncontrollable when he's like that. Who knows what would've happened?_

"Relax and have some lunch," Haru suggested, breaking my reverie and handing me a taco as he put me down in the kitchen.

"That's another thing. Why did we have to take that detour to the taco shop? Now even the taco vendor has seen me being carried around like a baby! You realise I can never go back there now?"

"C'mon Takao. Calm down. It wasn't that bad," Rei offered.

"Yeah and the tacos were so worth it," Max chipped in. "Try one."

"No, I'll pass. I'm gonna head up to my room and nap. Hopefully I'll wake up and find this was all a dream," I muttered, getting up. I'd almost made it to the door when I felt something hard smash into the back of my head, causing my vision to turn black momentarily.

"Ow…" I groaned as I rubbed the back of my head. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" I yelled as I turned to glare at Haru. His whole persona had changed from what it had been a second ago. Gone was the calm, slightly out-of-it Haru, replaced by a confident and angry teen.

"You think I'm just gonna let you leave when I've spent the last five days looking for you. No way, kitty-chan. You and I have a bit of unresolved business to take care of."

That said he lifted me up and threw me threw the paper sliding door and out into the backyard.

"What the hell are you talking about you damn bovine!? There's no unresolved business between us. Hell, I haven't even seen you in four years!"

"Exactly!" Haru replied as he jumped off the patio and onto into the yard, landing a short distance from me. "You haven't come to the Sohma compound in ages. Not even during New Years! I want a rematch. Better get ready little kitty, 'cause I'm gonna kick your arse!"

"You mean you came here just to fight me? You stupid cow! Fine, bring it on! I feel like beating the crap outta you at the moment anyway!"

"You're on!" Haru yelled as the fight was began.

* * *

(Kai's POV) 

_What the hell is going on!? First this guy carries Takao all the way to the dojo, now he's trying to beat the crap outta him? Why? Aren't they supposed to be cousins?_

I turned focused my attention back on the fight before me. It's obvious Takao's the stronger fighter. Hardly any of Haru's blows are landing on him whilst Haru was getting pretty battered.

"You've hardly improved at all! If you're going to challenge me put a better fight Kitty-chan," Haru laughed slightly maniacally.

"You dumb cow! You're losing! You've haven't gotten a decent hit in and your telling me that I have to do better!? You're insane and you're so slow! You're nothing compared to Yuki!"

"Ha! Can't the same be said about you? Yuki started learning how to fight way after you and you've had all this extra training too. Yet you still haven't beaten him. You're the loser!"

"YOU BASTARD!" Takao ground out. "Now you've _really _pissed me off!"

I couldn't help but gasp as suddenly Takao's attacks picked up speed and strength. His arms and legs were a blur as they pommelled Haru repetitively.

"What do we do? We have to stop him," Kenny cried as he stared at the horrifying scene before him.

"He's completely lost it!" Rei agreed, watching Takao as if he'd never seen him before.

"Kai, what do we do?" Max wailed, looking at me.

I could barely think straight let alone answer him as I continued to watch Takao bloody up his cousin.

"I don't think we can stop him," I admitted. "I really don't think it's a good idea to get involved in their fight, especially with Takao going berserk. We'd just ended getting injured ourselves."

"But…but…" Max stuttered as he turned his gaze back to the fight. It was obvious that Haru was tiring rapidly just trying to defend as Takao continued fighting without mercy. _Shit. What do we do?_

SPLASH!

Takao sprang away from a dazed Haru as soon as the water hit him. He blinked a couple of times as if unsure where he was before turning to look at his Grandpa who was standing a few metres away with as empty bucket in his hands.

"You back with us dude?" Grandpa asked him.

"…Yeah," Takao answered still a bit out-of-it. He swore as he took in Haru's battered state. Quickly rushing over to where his bloodied cousin was lying he began checking him for any serious injuries, before picking him up and rushing him into the dojo.

"For future reference boys," Grandpa said as he turned and faced us, "if Takao ever loses control like that, don't get involved. Just pour some water on him. It's usually a big enough shock to snap him out of it."

"You mean Takao's gone crazy like that before?" Kenny queried, alarmed.

"He did but it was only one other time. Don't worry about it," he reassured them. "I doubt it will happen again."

"Right…" Rei muttered, still a bit shocked.

I was suddenly very glad I'd never seriously pissed off Takao before.

"C'mon, let's go back into the kitchen and I'll make you boys some tea to calm you down," Grandpa suggested gently.

We all nodded and followed him into the kitchen.

As Grandpa began serving the tea, Takao and Haru entered the room. Haru's injuries were now all bandaged. Seeing the worried glances from everyone in the room, Haru reassured us that there were no serious injuries and that he would be fine as long as he could have some tea. Takao was quiet as he sat next to him, refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

"Takao, it's not your fault," Grandpa sighed.

"I should've had better control than that," was the whispered reply. "I've been working so hard to get my anger in check but I still lost it so easily."

"That's only because you've been so stressed lately. I'm not surprised you snapped. In any case we all need to vent sometimes."

"Master's right," Haru agreed. "It's not your fault you lost control. After all, I was the one who started the fight 'cause I turned 'black'."

"You're 'black' personality is as obnoxious as ever," Takao grinned. "So I'm forgiven?"

"There's nothing to really forgive," Haru replied. "You really have mellowed out a lot, haven't you? The air around you is so much clearer. It smells nice."

"I will never understand you, Haru," Takao grumbled before turning to face Max, Rei, Kenny and I. "I'm sorry if I scared you guys. I hope… we can still be friends?"

I stared back at him in shock. No one made a sound as we all just gawked at him. _What is he talking about? Does he really think we'll just leave him 'cause he lost his temper?_

"It's okay if you don't want to be…" Takao murmured taking the silence the wrong way. "I think I'm gonna go take that nap now," he rose awkwardly. "See you around…"

I couldn't stop myself. I grabbed his hand before he could get out the door. Three more hands also seemed to have latched onto Takao's hand at the same time mine did. Takao eyes widened in confusion.

"We're not gonna stop being friends with you just because you gave us a scare," Kenny asserted.

Max and Rei were adamantly agreeing to the sentiment and I found myself nodding along.

"Really?" Takao insecurely asked. "I mean, you don't have to…"

"But we want to," I muttered, unthinkingly. Four bewildered gazes focused on me but I just shrugged. _It is the truth after all._

"Thank you," Takao muttered, his face lighting up in a beautiful smile.

"Aww..." Haru gushed before pulling out a camera and taking a photo.

"Haru!" Takao yelled, embarrassed.

"What? I'll give you a copy!"

"That's not what I meant."

"Hey," Rei interrupted in order to break up their argument, "what did you mean before about you going 'black'?"

"Haru here is usually a pretty easygoing guy but occasionally he'll snap and his personality changes completely as you saw when he head butted me from behind and started our fight. People in our family call that persona 'black Haru'. After a while though, Haru will revert back to his usual 'white Haru' personality," Takao explained. "You get used to it after a while but he can be really infuriating when he goes 'black'. It's best not to take him seriously when he's like that."

"By the way homies, when are you gonna head up to Tokyo for the tournament and where are you gonna stay?" Grandpa asked.

"The tournament. That's the other reason why I came here," Haru uttered, looking at Takao. "Kagura wanted me to tell you that though it was them who organised the tournament, Akito wasn't supposed to have anything to do with it. He suddenly decided to take part in the preparations when Kagura informed him that you were going to compete in it. She wants you to be careful," Haru concluded.

Takao nodded to show he understood. _Why would he have to be careful? Who is this Akito guy?_

"Back to the original question, when are we going and where are we staying?" I questioned.

"Well, I assume you're gonna wanna be there on the Wednesday, Takao. Are you gonna stay there in Tokyo until the tournament starts on Sunday or are you gonna come back here on Wednesday night and head up later?" Grandpa queried.

"Why are you gonna go there on Wednesday, Takao?" I asked curiously.

"It's kinda a tradition for me. I always go visit someone there every year on that date," Takao replied, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Well Shigure-sensei would probably let you all stay at his house. He's got enough room as long as you don't mind sleeping on the floor. Yuki is staying with Shigure-sensei as well so you're gonna have to put up with Takao and him fighting all the time," Haru offered.

"Haru, did Shigure actually give you permission to offer his house or are you just making these decisions on your own," Takao asked suspiciously.

"Who knows," Haru replied, studying one of his necklaces.

"Well, I'll ring Shigure later and ask if it'll be alright. Accommodation in Tokyo will be expensive, especially with this tournament on. Takao, do you think you can put up with Yuki for a while?" Grandpa asked.

"Yeah, whatever," was his distracted reply. I wonder what he's thinking?

"Alright, it's decided then. We're all gonna head up on Wednesday and crash at Shigure-sensei's and Yuki's house." Max cheered, throwing his fist into the air. "Wait, who are Shigure-sensei and Yuki?"

"Our cousins," Haru and Takao replied in unison.

I groaned. _Not more cousins!_

* * *

That night Hatori came and retrieved Haru after giving him a lecture about wandering off without telling anyone. Takao's Grandpa called Shigure and got permission for he and the boys to stay at Shigure's house. The weeks passed swiftly with the Bladebreakers training for the tournament. All too soon it was time for them to leave for Tokyo. None of them knew how different they would be when they returned back from the tournament… 

A/N: Please review! I'll give you chocolate…


	7. Chapter 7: Cursed

**Fate**

Greetings peoples! Welcome to chapter 7! I hope I haven't left you waiting too long. I should probably warn you, this chapter a bit…angsty. It's not too bad though, I think. I'm gonna raise the rating a bit 'cause of this chappie, just to be on the safe side. Anyhoo, I don't have much to say at this point. As I'm a bit sick at the moment and have just suffered through a whole day of QCS practice, I'm afraid my mind's not all here. So yeah, enjoy this chapter. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and please keep it up! See ya!

**

* * *

**

_I'm so excited! Shigure-san said that we had guests arriving today. Shigure won't tell me whom exactly but I'm still excited. Yuki doesn't seem too pleased though. I think he knows who is coming. I wonder who it is?_

_Nothing really noteworthy has happened of late. With the Zodiacs all free from their Curse, things have quietened down a lot. I'm glad everyone's so happy and peaceful. Well, mostly everyone anyway. Rin and Kagura seem to be acting a bit restlessly of late. I can't seem to work out why. Everyone else seems a bit off too now that I think about it. I wonder what's wrong?_

_Hana says the waves are restless too, as if something big is going to happen around here soon. I hope it's nothing bad. There's been enough pain and suffering around here already. The thought of yet more sorrow is heartbreaking._

_I think I'll go visit Mum's grave today after work, since my shift ends early today. I haven't seen her in a while. I've been so busy working and studying but I'm happy and I know Mum will be happy as long as I am trying my hardest._

_-An extract from the diary of Tohru Honda._

* * *

(Takao's POV) 

I shivered slightly, pulling my navy coloured jacket closer around me as I stared out my window at the dark, foreboding sky. If not for the fact that it was approaching 7:30, I doubt I would have even known that dawn had already come and gone. The sun's light couldn't even penetrate the thick rain clouds. There was no discernible noise or movement, as if no one dared to interrupt the stillness of this shadowed morning.

"Ominous…" I whispered to myself, "especially on this of all days."

"What is?" a voice quietly queried from behind me.

"The sky," I answered without turning.

"We could postpone the trip until tomorrow if you prefer. I'm sure she won't mind if you visit her a day late in order to avoid the upcoming storm."

I turned and looked at my Grandpa, a sad smile gracing my lips.

"I would mind," I explained. "It is the very least I could do for her. In any case, I haven't ever missed meeting with her on this day. It's practically a tradition now and we all know that the Cat must always uphold tradition. It is fate," I ended bitterly.

"It is true that fate does compel us to walk certain paths in life but you must always remember that in the end the choice is yours. You may forge your own destiny if you have the courage to do so. Do not speak so resignedly about what you envision your fate to be Takao. If you don't like it, then change it!" Grandpa gently admonished me.

"Easier said than done," I muttered grouchily.

"True but I never said it was going to be easy. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step," he quoted.

"And if my legs are broken?" I asked.

"Then grow wings," Grandpa replied with a laugh. "C'mon, we should get going to the train station before the rain starts falling."

"Okay," I smiled, my spirits lifted by my conversation with Grandpa. I grabbed my bag filled with my clothes, wallet and beyblading gear and followed Grandpa out of the room.

* * *

I yawned as my team mates, Grandpa and I shuffled off the train and into the main building of the Tokyo train station. The ride up had been exceptionally boring. I had napped through most of the three-hour ride after taking some Panadol to alleviate my slight headache and stomach ache. _Stupid rain!_

"Well, I'm glad you all packed light 'cause we have a bit of a walk to get to Shigure's house," Grandpa cheerfully remarked as we managed to get away from the huge crowds of people and into a more deserted area.

"Aw, why did it have to be raining," Max whined as he looked out the glass windows of the train station.

"You forgot to bring an umbrella, didn't you Max?" Rei sighed exasperatedly. As Max shrugged sheepishly, Rei sighed again. "Lucky for you I brought a spare one just in case. You can borrow it."

"Yay! You're the best Rei!" Max sang as he took the offered umbrella.

"Did everyone else bring one?" Grandpa asked.

Kai and Kenny both responded affirmatively whilst I just impatiently nodded my head. Noticing my restlessness, Grandpa turned and began to lead us through the confusing and busy streets of Tokyo. The guys were careful to keep up with Grandpa as they weren't really familiar with the place and didn't want to get lost. I, on the other hand, knew my way through this city pretty well as I had spent every opportunity during my childhood investigating these streets whenever I managed to escape from the Sohma compound. At one point I stopped and bought a fresh bunch of white roses(1) from an old street vendor who wouldn't let me go without her telling me half her life story. By the time I caught up to everyone, the rain had abated to mild drizzle.

"Where did you disappear off to?" Kai growled as I approached the waiting group. "Because of you we've had to stand here in the rain for fifteen minutes just so you could catch up."

"Sorry, I had make a quick stop," I apologised. "You could have just kept going. I'm pretty sure I could have found my way to Shigure's place," I directed at Grandpa.

"I figured you'd might want to go visit her now," Grandpa reasoned, "so I thought I'd take your bag to Shigure's for you. There's no point you lugging it everywhere with you, especially as you're probably going to be out for the rest of the day."

"Oh, thanks," I replied earnestly, handing Grandpa my bag. "I didn't even think that far ahead."

"Who are you visiting Takao?" Kenny asked curiously.

"And why are you holding that bouquet of flowers?" Rei grinned.

"Could it be that Takao has a secret girlfriend?" Max asked, his eyebrows wiggling suggestively whilst Rei faked a look of shock.

I rolled my eyes at their antics, not even bothering to respond.

"Well I'm off. I'll see you all later at Shigure's house," I waved as I began to walk off. "Oh, and Grandpa," I called over my shoulder, ignoring Max and Rei's winks and kissy faces, "Make damn sure I'm not rooming with the Rat."

Grandpa just laughed in response.

I walked swiftly after I left the group. In one hand I gripped my umbrella, in the other my bunch of flowers. _I wish I were just visiting a secret girlfriend. Anything is better than what I am really here for._ I sighed as I saw my destination before me. I slowed my pace as I descended a flight of stairs and began to walk down one of the numerous white stone paths. The grass was a luminous green thanks to the rain that morning and the stone pillars lined up before were clean and well kept. I ignored them all, my eyes searching for a specific one. _Ah, there it is._

"Hello Mother," I whispered as I kneeled in front of her headstone. Placing my umbrella and bouquet carefully on the ground next to me, I began to brush the dirt and grit from her marker. Once I was satisfied it was as clean as I was going to get it; I gently placed the white roses onto the ground in front of her headstone.

"It's been ten years since you died Mother. Ten years since you killed yourself because of me," I murmured sadly. "Because I am the Cat…"

"You little shit!" a furious voice bellowed. "How dare you come to this place! You murderer! You're the reason she's dead! You disgusting monster!"

I flinched as I recognised the voice. Turning around swiftly, I came face to face with flashing brown eyes, which seethed with anger and hatred. I couldn't help taking a step back as the tall, pale man stalked determinedly towards me. His face was pinched and his thin, greying hair stood up in all directions, making him look maniacal, which he probably was.

He stopped mere centimetres from me and stared at me, his body trembling with rage.

Unnerved by the man's silence and stare, I opened my mouth and said as confidently as I could, "Hello Father."

SLAP.

I yelped as the force of the blow to my cheek threw me against the hard stone of my Mother's pillar.

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT YOU FREAK!" My Dad's eyes were fanatical as he began his tirade, accentuating each word with a kick to my stomach. "YOU'RE THE REASON SHE DIED. YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME. YOU RUINED OUR LIVES AND YET YOU DARE DEFILE HER GRAVE WITH HER PRESCENCE? YOU DARE CALL ME 'FATHER'? YOU PIECE OF FILTH!" he ended with a particularly hard kick to my stomach, causing me to vomit up my breakfast.

I moaned in pain as he continued to pommel me. He didn't even speak any more. He just laughed as he kicked any visible part of me. I was in so much pain. I just wanted to lose consciousness but every time my vision started turning black, he would kick me back into wakefulness. The pain was overwhelming and I was beginning to panic. My Father never even gave me the opportunity to fight back or escape. Knowing I would die if I let this continue, I allowed instinct to take over.

POOF! In a swirl of orange smoke, I reverted to my Cat form. Taking advantage of my Father's momentary confusion, I raced away from him and into the surrounding bushes. I ran, ignoring my body, which screamed in pain. _I have to get away. I have to get away. I have to get away…_

Suddenly my world went black and I knew no more…

* * *

(Kai's POV) 

I was annoyed. Max and Rei wouldn't stop speculating about whom Takao had gone to visit. Though I was a bit curious myself, listening to Max and Rei making random and completely unrealistic guesses was slowly but surely driving me insane.

Kenny was just as curious as I was. He had earlier asked Grandpa whom Takao was seeing but Grandpa had refused to say anything, which of course further fuelled Rei and Max's curiosity.

I almost cried with relief when we finally reached Shigure's house, not that I would ever lower myself to such unsightly displays of emotion. I do have an image to maintain, after all.

Shigure's house was a traditional Japanese residence, complete with paper doors, wooden patio and tranquil garden.

Sadly, Shigure's personality was nothing like the quaint house. Upon reaching the door, we ran into a shorthaired brunette who was muttering about hanging herself from one of the trees.

Terrified that she was really going to commit suicide, Max, Rei and Kenny immediately started to comfort the young woman and tried to convince her suicide was not the answer. She just continued to cry and scream.

"What's this?" a handsome man with messy, haired that draped over his face queried as he appeared at the door.

"Sensei's(2) an idiot! Your deadline was yesterday and you ran off so I couldn't even find you to get it off you and then I find out you haven't even finished it…" the woman sobbed into the man's loose kimono.

"Yes, yes," he casually answered as he patted her on the head. "No need to fret Mi-chan. As luck would have it I have in fact already finished my work and I myself yesterday morning."

"You mean, you already did it and you didn't tell me? Sensei's an idiot!" she cried as she raced away from the house.

"You've really got to stop teasing your editor like that Shigure," Grandpa commented wryly.

"Ah, but it's so much fun Master," Shigure chuckled in response.

Shaking his head in exasperation, Grandpa introduced us all to Takao's cousin Shigure Sohma.

"Well," Shigure voiced as he led us into the house, "dump your things here. We can organise sleeping arrangements later when Yuki and Tohru return."

"Tohru?" Grandpa asked.

"Yes, Tohru Honda. We have a flower(3) living with us at the moment. That's why the place is so neat," Shigure explained. "By the way, where's Takao?"

"He's gone to visit her," Grandpa answered, putting a slight emphasis on the 'her'.

"Ah, yes. It's been ten years if I recall correctly," Shigure murmured. At Grandpa's nod, Shigure continued. "Who knows when he'll be back then. Would anyone like some tea?"

I narrowed my eyes as I watched the two men interact. Shigure was a shifty character, no doubt about it. Though he seemed to be complete idiot, I sensed an undercurrent of awareness and slyness. I would have to be wary of him.

As Shigure began to serve us tea, I heard the front door open and footsteps approach us. Moments later, a pretty silver haired boy gracefully entered the room. He was pale and slim, with startlingly clear silver eyes(4). I would have mistaken him for a girl if not for the fact that his chest, which was partly visible as his shirt's top button was not done up, was completely flat.

"Welcome home, Yuki-kun," Shigure happily greeted him. Once more, introductions were made and soon Yuki was sitting with them sipping tea and politely conversing with Grandpa whilst Kenny, Max and Rei were drawn into conversation with Shigure.

I barely paid attention to the conversations going on around me as I drank my tea and studied the people in front of me.

"Hmm… I wonder where Tohru is? She was supposed to have been back by now," Shigure commented at one stage during a lull in conversation.

"You're only worried because she was going to prepare lunch for us," Yuki accused.

"You're so mean to me," Shigure whined, causing Max to giggle and Grandpa to smile.

I just rolled my eyes, deciding to ignore them. Shigure turned and addressed Max, Rei, Kenny and I.

"Don't mind Mr Grouchy," he whispered loudly, resulting in a large vein to begin twitching on Yuki's temple. "He's just grumpy since he knows Takao's going to be staying here with us for a while. They don't get along well at all, you see. So he's trying to use me to release some of his anger. Ah, the childishness of youth," Shigure ended with a dramatic flourish.

THUMP.

"See," Shigure continued after he regained consciousness. He pointed at the large bump forming on his forehead. "I guess one of us must be the adult around here. Do it again! Punch, kick and scream! Release all your pent up anger… on Takao when he arrives," Shigure concluded sliding away from Yuki.

"Aren't you supposed to volunteer yourself?" Kenny asked.

"Why?" Shigure asked confused. "Then he'll hurt me." Noticing our incredulous stares, Shigure asked, "What?"

"Idiot," Yuki stated resignedly.

Before he could say anything else, we heard rushing footsteps and a high pitched voice shout something indistinct.

"Honda-san?" Yuki worriedly yelled as he raced towards the shout. He had barely reached the door when it was flung open from the other side revealing a girl their age with long, straight brown hair held in place by a yellow ribbon. Her large, brown eyes shone with tears as she clutched something wrapped in a dark blue jacket tightly to her chest. Something about that jacket intrigued me. I knew I'd seen it somewhere before…_Where?_

"Please, you have to help him," she begged. "There's so much blood. He's barely breathing. Please!" she pleaded looking half-crazed with worry.

"Tohru-kun, calm down," Shigure advised. Tohru nodded and took a deep breath. "Good," Shigure continued. "Now who are we helping?"

Tohru loosened her grip on whatever she was clutching to her chest and from between the folds of the jacket, the form of a bloody and bruised orange cat could be discerned.

"Shit," Grandpa, Shigure and Yuki all cursed at the same time. Grandpa quickly grabbed the small cat from Tohru's arm and after placing it on the table, began to check its injuries. Shigure ordered Yuki to phone Hatori before he raced off, returning with a first aid kit, a stack of clean rags and a basin filled with warm water.

"Who would have done such a cruel thing?" Rei asked, aghast.

"Poor kitty," Max murmured, sadly.

I continued to stare at the bloodied blue jacket, which had been thrown carelessly to the floor in the chaos.

_Where have I seen it?_

"Tell me what happened," Grandpa demanded from Tohru as he did his best to staunch the cat's wounds.

"I was walking home after work. I took a detour to visit my Mum's grave. There was a crazy man by one of the graves. He was so scary, just standing there and laughing. I hid behind one of the gravestones. I was terrified what he would do if he caught me. When he finally left, I went to where he was, wondering why he had been laughing so insanely," Tohru sobbed, her voice cracking. "There were bloodstains on the gravestone and on the pavement in front of it. A little way off, I found a set of ripped and bloody clothes. I was so worried. I know you are all free but for some reason, my mind screamed that it was one of the Zodiacs. I followed the trail of blood and found him. Then I rushed here," she concluded, shakily.

"You did well," Yuki comforted her. "Hatori will be along as soon as he can," he added to Shigure and Grandpa who both nodded.

"I don't understand," Kenny muttered. "What do you mean 'Zodiacs'?"

I was rather curious about that myself.

"Is he really one?" Tohru asked Shigure.

"Yes," Shigure sighed. "He is the last of us. The Cat and the only one us still burdened by the Curse."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I yelled, annoyed that I didn't understand the situation.

"I'm sorry homies," Grandpa directed at us. "You were not meant to find out about this. For your sakes as well as ours."

"What…" I began again only to be cut off by Rei's confused exclamation. I turned to find him staring at the cat whose fur had now been mostly cleaned of blood.

"Isn't that the cat that Kagura was holding when she fell off the roof with Takao?" he asked.

My eyes widened.

"It is," I agreed.

"This isn't an ordinary cat," Shigure stated calmly. "It is cursed."

"Cursed?" Kenny repeated, fearfully.

Suddenly an orange puff of smoke covered the cat with a POOF. As the smoke cleared, the sight of a naked, battered and bleeding Takao appeared where the cat had once been. In a bout of blinding clarity, I realised where I'd seen that jacket before. _He was wearing it just this morning...Takao._ My vision spun wildly as I tried to process the scene before me and also deal with my startling realisation. _It can't be..._ As if from a great distance I heard Grandpa quietly utter, "Yes, cursed."

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A/N: This time instead of bribery, I'm going to use emotional blackmail to get you to review. Thus, PLEASE REVIEW OR I'LL CRY! Lol…

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1 White roses supposedly symbolise spiritual love. I figured it suits the situation as in Fruits Basket, it's obvious that Kyo loved his mother despite the fact that he was never particularly close to her when she was alive. 

2 For those who don't know, 'Sensei' means teacher.

3 By 'flower', Shigure means a girl.

4 I'm using the appearance of the characters from the manga not the anime. Hence, Hatori has blue eyes instead of brown and Yuki's eyes will be silver not purple. I didn't really like the colouring in the anime. Most of the characters looked crap (sorry if I offend anyone).


	8. Chapter 8: The Tale of the Cursed Cat

**Fate**

Well, hello again everyone. Firstly, I'd like to thank you all for reading this far into my story and for everyone who has sent me a review so far: Thank you! You're all awesome! Please keep it up! I'm quite pleased with how well this fan fic is going so far, especially as it is my first. I've also started another fan fic, which is a Harry Potter one (check it out!) so I'm proud of that too. Sorry this one's taken so long to update but I've been busy lately. Does anyone have any ideas what University course I should take? Such a hard decision to make. Sighs. Ah well, I'll stop rambling now and let you read instead. Remember to review and also that I do not own the characters, stories, etc of either Beyblades or Fruits Basket. See ya!

**Chapter 8: The Tale of the Cursed Cat**

_Lately I've been feeling as if Takao is a complete stranger. I mean, I still consider him to be one of by best and closest friends but I can't help wondering how much I really know about him. I've known him for almost three and a half years now. I've travelled the world with him, lived with him for a while and yet it turns out that he still has all these secrets from me. According to Kai, Takao says that he never told us because we never asked. He might be right. I can't say that I've ever gone to great pains to learn more about Takao's past. The thought never actually occurred to me. Does that make me a bad friend? I hope not. In any case, I'm going to have to meditate on this._

_-An extract from the diary of Rei Kon_

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(Kai's POV) 

I couldn't breathe, let alone speak. The shock was just too much for me to handle. I felt paralysed as my mind slowly tried to process the revelation before me. _Takao is cursed? He can transform into a cat? What the Hell is going on?_

"I know it's a lot to comprehend at once," Grandpa spoke, causing me to jump as I had forgotten that there were other people in the room. I watched with bewilderment as he swiftly took a black and white beaded bracelet from Tohru's outstretched hand and placed it carefully on Takao's limp wrist. "I'm afraid though that I can't explain more thoroughly at the moment or even give you time to let it sink in. We have to take care of Takao first."

I mentally slapped myself as I forced my attention back to the fact that Takao was unconscious and severely injured. _This is no time to be spacing out! Focus Kai!_

"Right," I acquiesced. I immediately strode forward to help Shigure who was desperately applying pressure to Takao's more serious wounds in an attempt to stop them bleeding. Yuki and Grandpa cleaned off as much blood as possible in order to ascertain the true extent of Takao's injuries. Tohru rushed around grabbing pillows and sheets to make Takao more comfortable as well as grabbing fresh water and taking away any soiled sheets and water. Kenny, Max and Rei had yet to snap out of their daze.

Angered by this, I bellowed, "Oi! What do you three think you're doing? Takao's been hurt and you guys are doing nothing but standing there like morons! Get over your bloody shock already and come and help us!"

I don't know if it was the command in my voice, the fact that I'd raised my voice or that they'd finally realised Takao needed them but they came back to themselves rather quickly and hurried over to help the extremely stressed Tohru.

Grateful that my team mates were all right and that I didn't have to worry about them too, I concentrated all my attention on taking care of Takao. Yuki and Grandpa cleaning off his blood made it a lot easier for Shigure and I to tend Takao's wounds. It also however, made me notice something about Takao that made my heart squeeze painfully. He was covered in scars. They were faint but at the moment they stood out starkly against his abnormally pale skin. Quickly, I searched through my memory wondering I why I had never noticed them before. _His tan! His tan covers the marks! That's why no one's ever noticed before!_

I felt myself begin to tremble as the full implications of my discovery hit me. No wonder Takao was so proficient at treating injuries. It wasn't that he lived in a dojo with a man who was crazy about kendo. It was because he himself had endured so many injuries.

"He's still got those ones, hey?" Shigure muttered to himself quietly.

Curious to what he meant, I turned to where Shigure was tracing over three parallel scars on Takao's torso with his fingers.

"Yes," Grandpa replied shortly. "They've never healed properly."

Feeling someone looking over my shoulder I found Max, Rei, Kenny and Tohru gazing worriedly at the livid red scars.

"What caused them?" Max asked.

"They look really deep," Rei commented, his brow creased with worry.

Instead of answering Max's query, Grandpa shared a distressed look with Shigure.

"Grandpa?" Kenny prompted.

Grandpa remained silent, as did Shigure. Yuki just looked on solemnly. It was hard to tell if he knew the answer or not. His eyes were blank of any incriminating emotion. Tohru looked confused like the rest of us though I had a feeling that she knew a bit more than she let on. The awkward silence stretched on continuously, the air in the room becoming increasingly tense.

Suddenly the sound of running footsteps reached our ears, effectively disrupting the uncomfortable situation.

"Hatori!" Grandpa greeted relief clearly evident in his voice.

"How is he?" Hatori asked, moving hastily towards Takao's prone form. He immediately began checking his pulse and heartbeat then set about inspecting his various wounds.

"I don't think it's as bad as we originally thought," Shigure commented seriously as he watched Hatori work. "When Tohru brought him in coated in blood, I was starting to fear the worst but now that most of his blood has been cleaned off, it's obvious that there are no really serious wounds."

"He could have some broken bones though," Yuki chipped in as he moved aside and helped Tohru carry off the bloody and dirty sheets and retrieve fresh ones.

"Is he going to be okay?" Kenny queried hesitantly. I noticed that both his and Max's lips were trembling slightly.

"I think so," Hatori replied. "Takao's strong. I believe he will recover from this. He's survived worse,"

"What? What do you mean?" Max yelled hysterically.

Hatori swore softly under his breath. It was obvious we weren't supposed to hear that last part.

"In any case," Hatori continued, pretending to ignore Max's outburst, "Shigure is right. Takao's wounds aren't life-threatening nor are they particularly serious. He will have some substantial bruising but fortunately he doesn't seem to have any broken bones. I can't really make any other diagnoses without Takao being awake so I suggest we set him up in one of the beds and let him rest."

"Are you sure?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"Yeah," Rei agreed. "Shouldn't we take him to the hospital or something?"

"No," Hatori uttered after a slight pause. "In Takao's case it would not be…prudent," he responded, choosing his words carefully.

"Why…?" Max began but Grandpa cut him off.

"How's this boys?" Grandpa asked. "Help us settle Takao in one of the guest rooms and then I will explain to you boys about the Curse. Tohru, you might want to join us too."

"Okay," she agreed, nervously.

Grandpa looked at, waiting for our response. We all nodded and after Hatori finished washing and bandaging Takao's wounds (some needed stitches), we helped deposit Takao into the bed in one of the two guestrooms.

Half an hour later, we were all seated once more in the living room sipping tea. Even Hatori, Shigure and Yuki had stayed around for the explanation.

"Alright," Grandpa began when we had settled. "I guess I should start at the beginning. I assume you boys are familiar with the story of the Chinese Zodiac?"

"You mean the Rabbit and Pig and stuff?" Max wondered aloud.

"Yes. The full story goes like this. A long, long time ago God said to the animals, 'Tomorrow, thou art all invited to a party in my honour, and I command thee, do not be late.'

The news spread quickly in the animal kingdom, but the mischievous Rat decided to play a trick on his neighbour, the Cat and told him that the party was happening the day after tomorrow. The next day, the Rat hitched a ride on the back if the Ox and was the first to arrive. Next came the Ox, followed by the Tiger, the Rabbit and so on. Everyone partied till dawn. Only the foolish Cat was left out._1_ Hence why the cat is not part of the Chinese Zodiac as it had offended God."

"This is interesting and all," I frowned, "but what does it have to do with Takao?"

"What the tale of the Chinese Zodiac does not tell us is that God punished the Cat for its foolishness. He cursed it and that is what Takao suffers from."

"The curse of the Cat?" Kenny asked, surprised.

"Yes. Takao is the reincarnation of the Cat of the Zodiac just as I am the reincarnation of the Dragon of the Zodiac, Shigure is the Dog and Yuki is the Rat," Hatori explained. "It is a curse on our family that every couple of generations, someone will be born with the reincarnated soul of one of the Zodiac animals in them. We were once like Takao in that under certain conditions, we were forced to transform into our correlating animal forms. However, for all of us apart from Takao and one other, the Curse has broken and we no longer suffer from its effects."

"Okay," I nodded as I thought through what they'd said. "So you guys were once cursed too but you broke free…wait. I thought only the Cat was punished. How come the other animals were cursed too?"

"God wanted us to be together for eternity," Yuki replied softly. There was a deep sadness in his voice as he spoke. "Thus, we creatures of the Zodiac are continually reborn, each time making our way intuitively back to God's side. It was our fate to be caught up in that eternal unchanging circle. Luckily, that cycle has been broken now though no one knows how or why."

"You mentioned before that there are certain conditions, which trigger your transformation," Kenny recalled. "What are they?"

"They transform whenever their body feels particularly stressed or exhausted and also when hugged by a member of the opposite sex," Tohru informed us, before blushing as we all turned to look at her.

"Are you a member of the Zodiac too?" Rei curiously queried.

"No but I was living here when the Curse had yet to be broken so I know a fair bit about it already," she responded.

"What about you Grandpa?" Max questioned.

"No, I'm not. However, my Grandfather was the previous Cat so I too am informed about the details of the Curse. Incidentally, you must all promise not to tell anyone else about the Curse. Though only Takao and another still suffer from it, it would be disastrous if people found out about it."

"We won't tell anyone," we all swore.

"Good, now are there any other questions?"

"Where did Takao get all those scars?" I interrogated.

"Well…" Grandpa began before another voice cut him off abruptly.

"That's really none of your business," Takao snapped, stepping out from behind the doorway.

* * *

(Takao's POV) 

I whimpered as I slowly regained consciousness. My whole body throbbed with pain. _What happened? I remember going to the graveyard to see Mother when…_ I sat up abruptly as I recalled what had happened. Unfortunately, my sudden movement caused the pain to flare up intensely, making my body spasm sporadically. I swore under my breath as I bit my lip and waited for the wave of pain and nausea to pass. Eventually the agony became bearable and I carefully lowered myself back into the soft bed.

_Wait. Bed?_ Opening my eyes minutely, I waited until my vision got used to the bright light before opening them fully and studying my surroundings. I was in a decent sized room, which had aesthetically pleasing blue wallpaper and a glass sliding door that led out onto a wooden veranda. The room was obviously on the second floor of the building as the window had a decent view of a surrounding forest. The bed, in which I currently resided, was large and soft and was one of the few pieces of furniture in the room. There was a small desk, chair and wardrobe also situated in the room. _Where am I?_

After holding a brief internal debate, I decided that discovering where I was at the moment was much more important than just lying here. Taking great care to not aggravate my wounds, which I noticed, had been tended and bandaged, I softly padded across the floor and out the door. I made my way cautiously down a flight of stairs, as silently as I could. Once at the bottom, I realised I could hear voices. I edged slowly towards them. As I drew closer I recognised Grandpa's voice. _I must be at Shigure's house._

Curious to what was happening, I eavesdropped.

"…My Grandfather was the previous Cat so I too am informed about the details of the Curse," I heard Grandpa say. "Incidentally, you must all promise not to tell anyone else about the Curse. Though only Takao and another still suffer from it, it would be disastrous if people found out about it."

"We won't tell anyone," Kai, Kenny, Max and Rei replied simultaneously. _So Grandpa's told them about the Curse? I must have transformed in front of them then. Damn it!_

"Good, now are there any other questions?" Grandpa continued.

"Where did Takao get all those scars?" I heard Kai ask._ They know about my scars!? Oh God! How do they know? I can't let them find out any more!_

"Well…" Grandpa began. Unable to contain myself, I interrupted him before he could continue and reveal any more of my secrets.

"That's really none of your business," I growled as I stepped out of hiding. I could feel their stares but I ignored the highly uncomfortable feeling, instead focusing on not collapsing.

"Takao! What are you doing up? You need to rest!" Hatori ordered, springing to his feet.

I didn't move, ignoring Hatori's approach. Instead, I turned and addressed Grandpa.

"I don't want them to know," I declared fiercely. "You've already informed them about the Curse?" On seeing Grandpa's confirming nod, I continued, "Then that's all they need to know."

"Wait. Why don't you want to tell us?" Rei questioned.

"What happened, Takao?" Kai asked,

"Like I said before, that's none of your business," I ground out, purposely turning a blind eye to Max's hurt expression. Abruptly, I felt my legs give way and I pitched forward, landing directly in Hatori's arms.

"I told you that you need rest," he grumbled as he gently laid him onto a sofa.

"Do you need anything?" a worried looking girl asked me. She looked vaguely familiar but I couldn't seem to place her. Seeing my confused look, she introduced herself as Tohru Honda.

I introduced myself in turn before telling her I was fine and didn't require anything at the moment.

"So what happened Takao? Tohru was the one who found you so she's told us the gist of what took place but I'm curious as to who attacked you?" Grandpa interrogated.

I grimaced as I once more remembered what had happened. I really didn't want to tell anyone. I could already guess their reactions. Grandpa sighed as time stretched on and I still hadn't answered.

"It was your Father, wasn't it?" Grandpa stated after a while.

"WHAT?!" several voices cried out disbelievingly. Hatori, Shigure and that damn Rat Yuki just nodded as if expecting this answer.

"Yes," I whispered, knowing that they would be able to tell if I was lying or not.

"Your Dad did this to you?" Max yelled.

"Oh God, Takao," Rei murmured as Tohru burst into tears. Kai just stood and looked at me with grave eyes. I couldn't stand the pity and remorse in their gazes. I scowled at them, angry that they thought I was so weak. _I don't need your pity!_

"It's okay, guys. Seriously, it's not like it's that big a deal. I've been hurt loads of times before so this isn't anything new to me," I declared strongly.

"But your Dad did this to you! How can you not say it's a big deal? He physically abused you!" Kenny hysterically yelled, his voice going up a few octaves.

"Well, he does hate me with a vengeance and the feeling is mutual so I can't really criticise him," I growled. I knew I was just being stubborn and slightly irrational but I honestly didn't want anyone to realise how much I had suffered. No one should know how scarred I am on the inside, especially my friends who had suffered through so much themselves already. I had to be strong for them and for Grandpa. So I would pretend I was fine and that I didn't care that my Dad had beaten me so badly. I would be strong.

"Takao" Hatori began. "I've told you before and I'll tell you again. Don't take out your anger on your friends. They are only worried about you after all."

"It's none of their business," I replied automatically.

"We're your friends, Takao. You are our business," Kai stated monotonously as Kenny, Max and Rei nodded their agreement. I paused, uncertain as their declaration momentarily overwhelmed me.

"Yeah, don't be such a stupid Cat, Takao," Yuki broke in with a smirk. "You should be grateful you have any people who can bear being near you at all."

"Why you damn Rat!" I yelled as I lunged at Yuki, ignoring my various wounds, which were throbbing with pain. He easily dodged my attack and began to retaliate, throwing numerous punches and kicks, all of which I blocked before counter-attacking. We continued to fight, ignoring the startled shouts from Tohru and my team mates and the exasperated sighs emanating from Grandpa, Shigure and Hatori. I felt my body and mind begin to relax as I lost myself in the tussle.

Our fight soon led us outside into the yard much to Shigure's relief, as we were less likely to wreck the house out here. By then, Tohru and my friends were no longer yelling at us to stop so it stands to reason that Grandpa must have explained to them about Yuki and my rivalry and the fact that every time he and I met, it would usually escalate into a fist fight.

Eventually, the fight ended when Yuki landed a harsh blow right on one of my stomach wounds, effectively disabling me and causing me to collapse, winded onto the ground. Yuki offered me a hand to help me up but I refused, as was the norm. Instead I nodded, silently conveying my thanks for distracting my friends from that awkward conversation. He returned the nod before walking off in the direction of the shower.

I rose and turned to face my anxious team mates, rubbing the back of my head sheepishly as they pelted me with exclamations about why I should not fight when injured and how foolish the fight was.

"You dudes should probably get used to that," Grandpa laughed as he walked back into the house, Shigure and Hatori in tow.

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A/N: Everyone who reviews will be given a special mention in my next update so please, please, please REVIEW!!! Cheers! 

1 Extract taken out from Volume 1 of Fruits Basket Chapter 1.


	9. Chapter 9: To Grow Wings

**Fate**

Hooray! I've finally completed Chapter Nine. Geez I've been busy lately. Whoever said Year 12 is easier than Year 11 is a liar and a prat. I have a Japanese exam tomorrow, Biology, Maths B and Chemistry assignments due on Monday, QCS the week after and block exams the week after that. Plus I've got to apply for University sometime soon too and I'm going to my Grandpa's 80-somethingth surprise birthday party in Townsville on the weekend (4 hours drive). Yep, I'm exceptionally knackered. Thus, I expect you all to be nice and review my story for me. C'mon you know you want to… Well, enough complaining. I'll let you go on and read my chapter now. Bye!

Oh! By the way I'd like to thank Inner Dragon and Hiyami for reviewing my last chapter. I really appreciate it and yes Hiyami, Kai was a bit OOC but that's because I want him to open up a bit in this story. For those of you who haven't worked it out yet, the main theme of this story is friendship overcoming all. So, yes characters may grow to be a bit OOC. Bare with me people. Ganbarimasu!

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**Chapter 9: To Grow Wings**

_I'm so excited! I get to see Takao tomorrow and I'll even get the chance to bey battle him. Yay! Haru said he'd give me a years supply of lollies if I win the whole tournament. Hatori almost had a fit when he heard Haru had made that promise. Yuki didn't take the news well either. He kept going on about how I'm energetic enough without being pumped full of sugar. I don't see what the big deal. A bit of sugar never hurt anybody._

_Oh! There's also a party for the contestants before the competition even starts. Kagura says it's to allow competitors to get to know each other and hopefully form friendships. Kagura always comes up with such nice suggestions. It's a pity that she's too busy helping to organise the tournament to go to the party. Yuki, Ritsu, Hiro, Kisa and Rin also can't come. Luckily, Haru said he would come with me! Hatori wanted someone to keep an eye on me apparently and Haru was the only one available. I don't mind though. After all, I get to see Takao again and Haru is always good company. Tomorrow is gonna be so awesome!_

_-An extract from the diary of Momiji Sohma._

* * *

(Takao's POV) 

I curbed my urge to wince in pain as yet another person saw fit to hug me and thus irritate the various scratches and bruises that still littered my body. Schooling my face into what I hoped was a convincing grin I forced a laugh as Mariah from the White Tigers began to prattle off about how exciting the upcoming matches would be. I joked around with her for a bit before excusing myself and making my way over to the least crowded corner of the room near the now empty buffet table.

I had been doing this act all morning; faking laughs, pretending to smile, stifling cries of pain whenever someone embraced me, making stupid jokes with random people…

As today was the official opening of the tournament, a party had been hosted for all the competing teams. Usually, I would have enjoyed the company but at the moment I felt like beating up the person who had come up with the idea. The fact that my body was still aching from the injuries my Father had inflicted upon me was also souring my mood. The upside was that all of my really noticeable wounds were hidden my by clothes, so no one but my team mates knew of my being in less than peak condition.

To make matters worse however, my team mates had finally been told the truth about me. They know that I'm Cursed… I guess that's what's bugging me most at the moment. It's not really that I'm injured. After all, I've been hurt millions of times before. No, it's the fact that they know now. I can barely stand looking them in the eye any more. Grandpa just reckons I'm being silly, that my friends aren't just going to abandon me because of the Curse but why wouldn't they. My Father did that and much worse because I'm the Cat. Why should the guys be any different?

"…kao. …akao. Takao! TAKAO!" someone suddenly yells in my ear.

Startled out of my reverie, I look up to meet Kai's eyes as he regards me with a wry expression.

"Are you ready? The tournament's going to be starting in a few minutes."

"Ah… yeah, I'm fine," I answer, conscious that this is the first time I've really spoken to him since he found out about me being the Cat, which was almost four days ago.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Kai queried, as he leaned against the wall watching the teams around us. "I can tell that your injuries are still bothering you even if you are managing to fool everyone else with your acting."

I stared back at him feeling confused and surprised.

"Since when do you care?" I blurted out without thinking. "Come to think of it, since when do you ever talk in full sentences? Normally you just glare or grunt."

I blushed as I realised what I had just said. _Great going Takao. You just went and alienated your friend._

"I'm not one to easily let things go, Takao."

I swallowed nervously as I wondered what Kai would do now that I'd so carelessly insulted him.

"Hence," Kai continued in a serious voice, "I have not forgotten how you have saved my life on more than one occasion. I will not abandon you when you need me, Takao. Reputation and the world be damned."

"What?" I whispered, floored by Kai's words and the implications behind them.

"Do not think he's alone in his reasoning," a voice to behind me muttered quietly. I spun around to find Rei, Max and Kenny each looking at me with an odd expression in their eyes. _Pity? No, it's different. What is it?_

"You've been avoiding us these past few days, so none of us have had a chance to tell you what we feel," Max added.

"We don't want to lose you, Takao," Kenny whispered, tears glinting out from behind his glasses.

"Stay," Kai commanded in a soft tone. I looked at the people around me, shocked by what they had told me. _They still want to be my friends even though I'm Cursed?_

An earlier conversation I had had with Grandpa abruptly entered my mind.

_(WARNING: FLASHBACK)_

_"It is true that fate does compel us to walk certain paths in life but you must always remember that in the end the choice is yours. You may forge your own destiny if you have the courage to do so. Do not speak so resignedly about what you envision your fate to be Takao. If you don't like it, then change it!" Grandpa gently admonished me._

_"Easier said than done," I muttered grouchily._

_"True but I never said it was going to be easy. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step," he quoted._

_"And if my legs are broken?" I asked._

_"Then grow wings," Grandpa replied with a laugh._

_(END: FLASHBACK)_

_Is this what Grandpa meant when he said to 'grow wings'?_

I glanced critically at my team mates, still unsure if I had the courage to take this leap of fate. Rei wore a solemn expression as if he understood how serious the situation truly was. Max's face was open and honest, his eyes silently pleading. Though I couldn't see Kenny's eyes behind the glasses and his brown mop of hair, his tense almost trembling posture gave away his nervousness and hope. Kai met my eyes steadfastly, burning with an unyielding and fiery intensity. I took a deep breath… and plunged.

"I'll stay…" I whispered. "Thank y…"

The numerous pairs of arms that suddenly embraced me cut off my thanks and for the first time today, I was able to completely disregard any pain I felt as I was hugged. A brilliant flash of light and the piercing noise of several wolf whistles brought us back to reality. We pulled apart and turned to see that our group hug had attracted the attention of everyone in the room.

"Such a touching moment," Lee smirked, as he wiped an imaginary tear from his eye and pocketed his digital camera.

"Never knew you were the touchy-feely type, Kai," Tala commented, raising an eyebrow.

Kai was stopped from commenting by the swift, pale yellow blur that whizzed by towards Tala.

Tala could do nothing as he soon found himself lying on the floor with a short, blonde boy wearing a pair of camouflage pants, a white singlet, heavy black boots and dark green war stripes on his face, clutching his chest. Everyone stared in open mouth shock as the stark reality of the situation hit them: Tala had just been glomped!

"What's wrong with hugging?" the blonde asked in a happy tone. He sat up, not bothering to get off Tala as he carefully adjusted the pink, fuzzy rabbit ears that sat lopsidedly on his head.

"Everyone needs a hug now and then. Look at you, for instance. You were being mean and guarded before and now you look a lot nicer," he ended, his warm brown eyes blinking innocently.

All the girls around me immediately melted as they took in the cute boy dressed as an army officer whilst all of the guys in the room were sniggering as they stared at Tala. It seemed that Tala had gone into a state of disbelieving shock. He just sat there on his arse completely flabbergasted. Upon seeing Tala doing a rather excellent impression of a fish, I found I couldn't hold it in any more. I burst out laughing. My knees gave out as I guffawed incessantly. My laughter must have snapped Tala back to the present because all of a sudden he sprang to his feet, roaring in anger.

"Argh! He's scary!" the blonde yelled fearfully as he quickly raced over to me and hid behind me. "Taka-chan, save me!" he begged.

"You're gonna die little runt!" Tala threatened as he shot forwards towards me and the quivering boy behind me. I knew that I should really be worried about getting caught up in Tala's wrath but I found myself too caught up in the throes of mirth to do much. Obviously annoyed by my laughing at him, Tala narrowed his eyes and threw a punch at me. Before any one could react however, a pale, sinewy arm blocked Tala's attack. Surprised, I looked up to see Haru glowering at Tala. A dark, shadowy aura surrounded Black Haru as he stepped between Tala and me.

"Nobody hurts my cousins. Do you understand? Nobody…" he growled as he took an intimidating step forward. Scared by the murderous glint in his grey eyes, Tala nodded and backed down quietly. Haru turned and scowled menacingly at everyone in the room, causing them to stiffen and sweat.

"Understand?" he angrily repeated. Upon receiving multiple assurances, he nodded once succinctly.

"Haru saved me! Yay!" the blonde boy exclaimed jumping up and giving him a hug. Instantly, the aura of death around Haru faded and he reverted back to the calm if somewhat tired persona of White Haru.

"See, I told you hugs were good," the brown-eyed youth explained to Tala from his place in Haru's arms.

"This is another cousin of yours, isn't it?" Max asked whilst beaming at the boy.

"Yeah," I grinned knowing that Max had already developed a soft spot for the cute blonde. After all they were both very similar. "This is Momiji Sohma," I introduced the blonde to the group at large. He giggled and waved once more causing the female population to swoon at his cuteness. "And for those who don't know, this is Hatsuharu Sohma," I said as I motioned to the black and white haired boy who everyone was still regarding with fear.

"Yo," he replied dazedly.

"Why are you here, by the way?" I inquired as an awkward silence began to fill the room.

"Momiji wanted to come visit you since he hasn't seen you in so long. I came to keep him out of trouble as the others couldn't come."

"The others are here too?" I questioned, bewildered.

"Of course! We're competing too!" Momiji sang as he pulled out a lollypop.

"Who's 'we',"

"Yuki, Kagura, Rin, Hiro, Kisa, Ritsu, Haru and I"

"You mean there are even more cousins!?" Kenny shouted.

"Well, those are the only ones competing. There are a few more of our relatives around the place who have come to watch the tournament as well. All fourteen of us are here," Haru told me, an undertone of warning evident in his voice.

I nodded, squaring my shoulders.

"Can all contestants please make their way to the main stage" a feminine voice announced via the PA system. All further conversation was brought to a halt as we all began to make our way towards the stage. _And so it begins…_

* * *

(Kai's POV) 

As I entered the main stadium along with everyone else, I couldn't help but feel slightly awed. It was obvious that no expense had been spared when building and furnishing the place. Gleaming spotlights shone over head and comfortable looking seats ringed the stage each accommodating a grinning, cheering spectator. A decent sized beydish resided directly in the centre of the stadium, allowing everyone a fair view.

I followed Takao's cousins (Momiji was still in Haru's arms licking his lollypop) towards the stage, ignoring the loud screams and applause that was being supplied by the audience. I especially paid no attention to the numerous declarations of love and marriage proposals that seemed to be directed at me. _Stupid audience!_

As I drew closer to the stage, I spotted Yuki, Kagura and what must be the rest of Takao's cousins or at least the ones who were contestants. As the people in front of me had slowed their pace in order to wave and smile at the gathered audience, I took my time to study Takao's latest relatives.

There were three girls and one boy apart from Kagura and Yuki. The new boy had pale brown hair and slanted chocolate brown eyes, which were currently glaring at the spectators. He was a bit shorter than Yuki and was wearing black cargoes and an olive shirt. He was standing next to a sweetly smiling girl with golden hair that was long in the front and short at the back. Her large, yellow eyes were accentuated by the white, peasant dress she wore, which had golden embroidery on the sleeves and hem.

A shy looking young woman with grey eyes stood next to her. She was dressed in a summer yukata decorated with green and gold leaves and flowers. Half of her light brown hair was pulled back and secured with a green ribbon. The remaining girl had long, hip-length black hair that swirled around her. She was a breathtaking vision, her short black dress clinging to her ample curves. Her intense, dark eyes peered out through long lashes as she regarded the cheering fans with a look of contempt.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Takao smile softly to himself as he gazed at his cousins. I also noticed their expressions soften slightly as they spotted him amongst the crowd.

Finally, we arrived at the stage and after the audience calmed down a bit, the opening ceremony began. A haunting melody filtered into the room as a handsome figured entered the stadium from a nearby door and made his way onto the stage. He was beautiful; there was no doubt about it. He resembled Yuki in many ways though his colouring was perfectly opposite. His pale skin was a stark contrast to his deep ebony hair and the black designer suit he wore. Soulful black eyes glinted as they surveyed the clapping audience.

"Greetings everyone," he spoke into a microphone in his hand. His deep, velvety voice caused some of the girls in the audience to swoon. "I am Akito Sohma and the host and organiser of this tournament…"

_So this is Akito Sohma, head of the Sohma family and Takao's cousin…he's nothing like what I expected. From the way Kagura and Takao act whenever he's mentioned, I'd have thought he's be some large, terrifying, old man not this pretty youth in front of me. He can't be that much older than I am._

I looked towards where Takao was standing as my thoughts turned to him. I was shocked to find not just him but all of his cousins looking extremely tense and almost afraid as they stared at the head of the family. _Why are they afraid?_

I turned my gaze back towards Akito, promising to keep an eye out for anything suspicious about him. After all, there's no way that Takao would be scared of him without a good reason.

"The rules of this tournament are quite simple, if a little different from what you're generally used to," I heard Akito state as I refocussed my attention back on him. "In the first Round, each team will consist of four members though only three will battle unless there is a tie. At the moment we have eight teams who are competing. When four of those teams have been knocked out, then round two shall commence. In Round Two, each team will consist of only two members. Round Two will continue until there are only two pairs left. Round Three will consist of the four remaining bladers individually competing against each other until a clear winner is evident. Does everyone understand? Yes? Good. Then without any further ado, LET THE TOURNAMENT BEGIN!"

A huge explosion of applause met this announcement as screaming fans enthusiastically began to cheer. As they roared their excitement, Akito turned around and smiled at us. It seemed as if his eyes lingered a little longer on Takao and his cousins but that wasn't entirely unexpected.

"The order of the battles will be posted in about twenty minutes or so," he addressed us. "Until then you are free to do what you will. However, I ask only that you do not be late for your matches," he paused and grinned, looking pointedly at Takao. "Time is of the essence after all."

With that said, he gracefully swept away towards the exit all the while waving cheerfully at the still clapping spectators.

Taking this as a cue, most of the people around me began to make their way out of the stadium in search of some form entertainment before the beybattles began. Rei, Max, Kenny and I each threaded through the crowd towards where Takao stood with his cousins, their gazes still focused on the retreating from of Akito Sohma.

"You all right, Takao?" Rei inquired, speaking loudly so that he could be heard over the deafening roar of the crowd.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. I just got a bit distracted, is all," he grinned sheepishly.

"Are you really just gonna stand their all day grinning like an idiot? I would think that someone your age should be able to grasp the simple fact that common etiquette requires you to at least attempt to introduce us to your friends or did you think we were able to read minds?" the pale, brown haired youth stated in an obnoxious voice.

"Hiro, don't be so mean to Takao-niisan," the yellow haired lass chided softly.

"Oh, sorry. It must have slipped my mind," Takao conceded. "These are my team mates Kai, Rei, Max and Kenny," he announced, indicating each of us as he stated our names. "Guys, I'd like you to meet my cousins. This is Hiro" he introduced pointing to the obnoxious boy.

For a second it looked as if Hiro would make a derogatory comment on how it was rude to point at people. Luckily, Takao cut him off as he pointed to the yellow-eyed girl who had chided Hiro earlier.

"…and this is Kisa," Takao stated before indicating the kimono-wearing young woman who he introduced as Ritsu. "Yuki, Kagura, Haru and Momiji you already know and this is Isuzu…"

BAM!

Takao bashfully rubbed at the large lump beginning to form on his head before saying, "Though she prefers to be known as Rin."

The black, long haired girl in the rather revealing dress cracked her knuckles threateningly and glared at us as if daring us to call her Isuzu.

"Well," Yuki smiled; completely ignoring the daring acrobatic stunts performed by what was obviously his own personal fan girls, which was happening behind him. "As we have about fifteen minutes left of free time, I suggest we go find a quiet place to relax before we battle."

* * *

A/N: Remember to update! 


	10. Chapter 10: Predators and Prey

**Fate**

Ah, it's been a while hasn't it. Sorry, it took so long to update but I've been really busy of late. I've have QCS, block exams, assignments, formal preparations, etc. To be honest, I'm knackered but I figured that I should probably update this now that I'm on holidays. I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed, favourited, added this to their story alert , etc. I'm glad my story is being received so well. Hopefully, it'll stay that way.

I have a few questions to pose to you guys. Firstly, is it okay if I don't describe every bey battle in detail? I haven't really seen the show in ages so I'm trying to base everything off memory but it's difficult trying to remember every character's name, bit beast, appearance, attacks, etc so I'm not gonna be very detailed. Also, my story focuses more on the characters and not their beyblading so their won't be many battles described. Frankly, I think beybattles are better to watch than read. However, if you do want more bey battles or want to request a match between two specific characters, just email me.

Secondly, do you guys want any pairings? If you've seen/read Fruits Basket, you'll know that Kyo (Takao) ends up with Tohru. Do you want that pairing to still happen? Any other pairings? I was thinking about Kai and Kagura but I was wondering if Kai falling in love was a bit too out of character. For the record, I don't plan to make this a slash simply because I don't have the nerve nor the competency to pull off a decent one. Sorry all you slash lovers but there are much better slash writers out there than I would be.

Well, that's about all. Please enjoy this chapter and please, please, please send a review!

Clicks to Hiyami who noticed I put 'Remember to update' instead of 'Remember to review' at the end of my last chapter. Lol. I'm glad someone's on the ball.

**This chapter is dedicated to my cat, Divot who was sadly put down on Tuesday 18/09/07.**

**Rest in peace, mate. xoxo**

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* * *

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_Hmm… Things have really become a lot more eventful of late. Takao's Father beat him up again and now his team mates know about the Curse. I wonder what I should do? Technically, if someone were to find out about the Curse, Akito would be informed immediately. He would then decide whether they were allowed to know such information or whether they should have their memories erased by Hatori._

_However, I don't think that would be the best course of action at this present time. If the end truly is nigh, then Takao doesn't have long left. If he can make peace with his demons before that time comes, perhaps he will not suffer as much in his isolation or better yet, maybe his Curse will end. Nobody really knows why the Curse has broken for most of us after all. It has obviously been weakening over the centuries. That's evident by the changes in some of the Zodiac forms like Hatori turning into a seahorse rather than a dragon. So it is possible that Takao's curse will end soon. The question is whether it will be before or after he is put into isolation._

_-An extract from the diary of Shigure Sohma._

* * *

(Takao's POV) 

"C'mon Dragoon," I encouraged as I watched him swiftly dart around the bey dish. I held my breath as Emily's bey blade, Trygator, brutally rammed into Dragoon, momentarily knocking it off balance. Luckily, Dragoon managed to regain his balance in time to swerve around Trygator and slam into it. Trygator began to wobble violently and Emily yelled out commands to retreat but it was too late.

"Finish him off, Dragoon! Phantom Hurricane attack!" I grinned predatorily.

Taking on an ethereal blue glow, Dragoon hurriedly whipped up a gale, which easily tossed Trygator out of the bey dish, ending the match.

"Yes!" I yelled as I pumped my fist in the air. The audience bellowed their approval as I did a quick dance to celebrate my victory.

After shaking hands with Emily, I rushed over to my team's bench where Rei and Max were laughing happily.

"Well done, Takao" Rei beamed as he pat me on the head, knocking off my cap.

"Yay!" Max squealed as he gave me a congratulatory hug.

In the background, I could just make out DJ Brad's voice over the loudspeaker informing the screaming crowd that upon our defeating the All Starz, our team was officially advancing to Round Two of the tournament.

"Let's go back to our locker room," Kai suggested in an annoyed voice. I grinned as I noticed he was shading his eyes against the multiple camera flashes coming from the audience.

"C'mon, Kai," Max whined. "Let's enjoy the spotlight for just a bit longer."

"Max," Kenny chided. "We have to clear the stage for the next match. If you haven't noticed the Blitzkrieg Boys and the Majestics are waiting to start their battle."

I looked to where Kenny was pointing and sure enough, I could make out both teams glaring at us. Robert was tapping his watch impatiently and looking at me pointedly.

"Alright, let's go!" I called as I ran off of the stage eager to get away from Robert and Tala's glares. I couldn't help but giggle as I heard the guys behind me racing behind me yell at me to wait for them. I didn't bother slowing down. Truth be told, I was still hyped up with adrenalin from the match against Emily. I couldn't even feel my injuries at the moment. A huge grin graced my face as I increased my pace even more whilst navigating the twisting corridors towards our locker room. Soon, I wasn't even able to hear my friends' footsteps trailing at me. I laughed, too caught up in my bliss to notice the dark figure in front of me.

"I'm glad to see you're having fun, Takao," Akito's deep voice broke through my joy. I immediately stopped running as the grin disappeared off my face. Even though he hadn't raised his voice, I felt as if I'd been slapped. A cold sensation settled over my body as he slowly made his way towards me.

"It's been a long time, Takao. You didn't even visit me once. Do you know how sad and lonely you made me feel?" Akito questioned as she raised a hand and cupped my cheek. I flinched at her touch but couldn't move away. It was as if I was petrified.

"I heard what your Father did to you. Don't worry, I shall have him punished. He should have known better," she continued stroking my cheek tenderly. Abruptly I felt Akito's grip harden, painfully pinching my cheek. "You're my prey not his," she concluded, swiping his nails across my cheek.

"Akito!"

Akito lowered her hand and turned to glare at the man who had called her name.

"Kureno," Akito acknowledged with a small nod, blatantly disregarding the presence of my team mates who were standing clustered around Kureno.

"It is time for your lunch," Kureno stated as he pushed a strand of his dark red hair away from his eyes. Nodding slightly, Akito sent me a menacing smile before she began walking away, Kureno following him a step behind. I didn't move as I watched him leave. I waited, knowing instinctively that she had not dismissed me yet.

"Enjoy yourself while you can, Takao," Akito's soft words sounded as she continued to walk away from me. "The end is nigh after all. Are you ready?"

As Akito's form disappeared around the corner and out of sight, I let out a breath I hadn't even realised I'd been holding. My body sagged as if it'd just been freed from invisible bonds. I could move again.

"Takao, what was that?" I heard Rei stutter.

"That was my head of house greeting me," I replied sardonically, as I tenderly touched my cheek. On pulling my hand away, I found it coated in blood.

Sighing wearily, I resumed my walk to the locker room, the guys following me silently. When we arrived at the locker room, I wasn't surprised to find to find my cousins already seated inside.

"Come here, Takao-kun," Kagura ushered me onto a bench. She then pulled out a first-aid kit from her bag and began to clean my wound for me.

"He didn't do anything too bad, did he?" Yuki asked as he and the others made room for my team mates to sit. Fortunately, the room was decent-sized so crowding wasn't an issue.

"Nah, nothing I can't handle," I assured everyone as I allowed myself to be subjected to Kagura's ministrations.

Immediately, the tension in the room subsided as my cousins took in my words. My heart warmed a bit when I realised how worried they had all been for me. I was beginning to regret not keeping in contact with any of them. It was nice to have family that could understand what you were going through.

"Wait, you guys knew Akito was going to attack him?" Kenny queried, looking shocked.

"It was inevitable. Akito hasn't seen Takao since he ran off almost four years ago. Of course there was gonna be a confrontation. Only an idiot would think otherwise," Hiro stated pompously.

"Hiro, don't be so mean. You're sure you're okay Takao-niisan?" Kisa asked, glancing sadly at my cheek, which now sported a bandage to cover the cuts.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I smiled at her. She beamed back whilst Hiro scowled.

"Was that red-haired guy another one of your cousins?" Max asked curiously.

"'Red-haired guy?' Do you mean Kureno?" Rin snapped, a fierce frown marring her face. The frown eased slightly as Haru began to massage her shoulders.

"Yes on both counts," I replied. "He was the one who got Akito away from me," I admitted.

"I still don't like him," Rin ground out.

"Why not? Is he a Zodiac too?" Max interrogated. His question resulted in a loud burst of noise that caused me to block my ears as all my cousins, bar Yuki, let out a startled cry.

"THEY KNOW!?" Rin exclaimed.

I nodded my head as I mulled over how I was going to deal with this problem. Apart from Tohru, my team mates were the only people outside my family who had been told about the Curse and still had their memories. Usually if anyone found out the truth about us and our Curse, Hatori would be ordered to erase their memories, which he did with a curious power granted to those of the Dragon. From what Shigure and Tohru had told me, it took all my cousins months for them to accept that Tohru knew their secret. Despite them no longer being affected by the Curse, I had a feeling that they would still be strongly adverse to the idea of anyone knowing the truth.

"Yes, they know," I muttered. "They found out about four days ago when they saw me transform in front of them. Grandpa explained it to them."

"How could you be so reckless to transform in front of them?" Hiro angrily asked.

"It wasn't his fault, Hiro," Yuki cut in calmly. "His Father had injured him quite severely and he transformed out of sheer exhaustion. Honda-san was the one who found him and brought him to us to be treated. We were more concerned about keeping him alive than worrying about whether they saw him transform of not."

Once more I had to cover my ears with my hands as the room resounded with shocked exclamations. After reassuring my cousins once more, I turned to Yuki and asked why he hadn't told them all this already. The dumb Rat just looked at me as if I were an idiot and said, "Because I thought you'd be able to handle the situation yourself."

_Stupid Rat bastard!_

"Fine, I guess you guys are curious to know who was what?" I directed the question to my friends who nodded. Ignoring Rin's sneer, I began to list out the names of my cousins along with their Zodiac animal. "Yuki was the Rat, Shigure was the Dog, Hatori was the Dragon, Kagura was the Boar, Haru was the Ox, Rin was the Horse, Momiji was the Rabbit, Hiro was the Goat, Kisa was the Tiger, Kureno was the Rooster, Ritsu was the Monkey and Ayame who you haven't met yet…"

"And hopefully never will," Yuki cut in.

"…was the Snake," I concluded, counting them down on my fingers.

* * *

(Kai's POV) 

I blinked as Takao finished listing all his cousins. _What about…?_

"What about Akito?" Rei queried, posing the question I had just been thinking of.

My eyes narrowed as I saw Takao and his cousins exchange glances.

"He's the head of our family," Momiji stated, his normally bubbly voice subdued.

"But I'd have thought he'd have had a role in the Zodiac too. It's only logical seeing as he is the head of your family," I reasoned.

After exchanging an uncertain glance with his cousins, Takao opened his mouth only to shut it again with a snap when Ritsu accidentally knocked her elbow into one of the lockers with a smash. With a cry she stood up and began running maniacally around in circles, her shrill voice resonating in the enclosed room.

"ARGH! OH GOD! OH GOD! I'M SO SORRY! I APOLOGISE TO THE WORLD FOR MY CLUMSINESS. I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO CREATE SUCH AN UNGODLY SOUND JUST AS YOU WERE ABOUT TO SPEAK TAKAO! YOU MUST HATE ME NOW AND RIGHTFULLY SO! OH GOD, I DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE! I'M SO SORR..."

Ritsu's running and frantic screams ended abruptly as Rin poked her quite sharply in the back.

"You learnt that trick from Sensei, didn't you?" Haru asked her after everyone's eardrums had stopped ringing.

"Yes and I'm very glad I did get Shigure to teach me it. He's always such a drama queen," Rin sighed, rubbing her temples.

"HE?!" Max, Rei and Kenny yelled in unison. I raised my eyebrows, silently asking them the same question but in a much more dignified manner. (A/N: Keep telling yourself that Kai…)

"Yeah, Ritsu's a guy," Kagura answered emphatically. "For some reason dressing up as a girl soothes his nerves."

_Weird people…_

"Anyway, back onto more important matters. I assume that you guys all won your matches and have advanced to Round Two?" Takao questioned.

"Of course! Those nasty White Tigers didn't stand a chance against the might of Team Bunny!" Momiji proudly sang.

I smirked as I noticed Rei's eye twitching from the 'nasty' comment about his ex-team.

"Um… 'Team Bunny'?" Takao asked, exasperated.

Kagura and Yuki both groaned and began rubbing their temples.

"Since Kagura and I wouldn't let Momiji play a big hand in organising this tournament, we told him he could name our team," Yuki sighed.

"Yep! Team Bunny! Fight!" Momiji chanted.

"…Right," I said. "So on… that team, it's you, Kagura, Momiji and…?"

"Ritsu," Yuki finished, indicating the past out cross dresser lying unconscious on the floor.

"Our team's called The Shadowed," Haru muttered. "Before you ask, we've already defeated the F-Dynasty and been moved on to the next round."

"Excellent, I wonder who's winning between the Blitzkrieg Boys and the Majestics?" Max wondered allowed.

As if on cue, DJ Brad's voice filtered through the speaker in the locker room declaring the Blitzkrieg Boys as the victors.

"Will all bladers who have made it to the second Round please make their way to the stage," he continued.

"Well, we'd better get going," Kenny suggested, standing up.

As a group (Haru was carrying the still unconscious Ritsu) we swiftly made our way back onto the stage much to the delight of the cheering audience. Akito was already there waiting for us, as were the BlitzKrieg Boys. The White Tigers, All Starz, F-Dynasty and the Majestics were now occupying the front row of seats amongst the crowd.

Upon seeing us, Akito smiled. Based on the tense stances of Takao and his relatives, I could tell I wasn't the only one who had detected the subtle undercurrent of maliciousness in Akito's smile. When the crowd had died down, Akito began his address.

"Firstly, I'd like to extend my sincere congratulations to the BlitzKrieg Boys, Team Bunny, The Shadowed and the Bladebreakers for their victory today. These four successful teams will be advancing to the second round of the Tournament, which will commence tomorrow. I would like to remind these teams that in Round Two, they will be split into teams of two. These partners will then go on to battle the other partnerships until only two teams remain. I'm sure it will be an invigorating and exciting show so I'd ask you all to go home, get some rest and be ready for Round Two tomorrow morning. Good night!" Akito concluded, waving to the crowd who clapped and cheered crazily in return.

As the crowd began to exit the stadium, Akito turned around and faced us.

"You did excellently today. I expect the standard to only improve. Until tomorrow…" he trailed off, sending a wink to Takao who immediately stiffened. With a final smile at us, he too left the stadium.

* * *

Round Two of the tournament began without much ado the following morning. I was currently sitting with Takao and his cousins as we watched Momiji face off against Tala. Tala looked particularly murderous as he obviously still remembered Momiji glomping him the early day. Momiji was ignoring Tala's glares in favour of enthusiastically grinning and waving at the audience who were completely smitten with the blonde. This did not improve Tala's mood. 

"So in these two on two battles, both team members have to defeat their opponents to pass into the next round, right?" Kenny asked Kagura who was blowing Momiji a kiss.

"Yep and if by the end of the two battles it's a tie, one player from each team will battle to decide which team advances," she explained.

"Cool, I can't wait to see you guys blade. I didn't even know you could to be honest," Takao admitted.

"That's because we wanted it to be a surprise for you," Kagura beamed.

"What kind of bit beasts do they have?" Rei queried from where he sat next to Max and Mariah.

"I'm curious about that myself," Lee remarked.

"Wait. You mean you didn't see any of their bit beasts yesterday when you fought them?" Max interrogated, his eyes widening.

"Yeah, they're very strong. All of us were obliterated in the matches even though we were the only one who called on our bit beasts," Gary replied surlily.

"Well, thanks for the compliment even though I don't really appreciate your tone of voice," Yuki responded, his attention fixed on Tala and Momiji's match, which had finally started.

"Do you guys even have bit beasts?" I wondered.

"Yeah they would and I could probably give a good guess to what form they will take too," Takao murmured, his eyes following Momiji's blade as it whizzed easily around Tala's much heavier, and thus much slower, beyblade.

"Do you mean…" I began but my words were cut off by Tala calling forth his bit beast, Wolborg.

"Ooh," Momiji cooed as he was showered in the dazzling light of the now present Wolborg. "Well, two can play it that game," Momiji grinned as he lifted his arms skyward, his pink bunny ears waving as a strong breeze ruffled them. "Come out, Awa-chan!_1_"

I had to shield my eyes as a brilliant pale blue light burst forth from Momiji's blade. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find the air filled with bubbles that a six-foot tall, pale yellow rabbit was vainly trying to catch in its mouth. Momiji just beamed as he ignored the bewildered looks of the crowd and caught one of the bubbles calmly in his hand. He looked up to see Tala's glares had faltered as he stared in confusion at the swirl of bubbles surrounding him and the giant bunny hopping around in front of him. Momiji's smile became almost predatory as he took in Tala's uncertainty.

"Awa-chan, fusion blast!" he commanded with a grin.

Drawing in a deep breath, the rabbit released a small bubble of light from its mouth. All other bubbles in the stadium immediately converged on the small, floating ball of light, which was now hovering above Wolborg. The ball of light grew brighter and brighter as more bubbles fused with the light until BOOM! The explosion of light rocked the stadium, causing violent winds to buffet the audience. When the wind died down and everyone could see again, they were treated with the sight of a happy Momiji with a lollipop in his mouth searching through a mound of shrapnel.

"Ah, here you go Tala-chan," he sang, as he pulled a battered Wolborg from the refuse. Tala just looked at him stupidly as he accepted the offered blade before walking back to join his equally stunned team mate Ian.

"Momiji…is the winner," DJ Brad stuttered as he tried to overcome his shock. That blast had been huge, yet Momiji's blade didn't look even rattled as it continued to spin steadily in the remains of the bey dish.

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A/N: Make my day and send me a review. C'mon, you know you want to… 

1 'Awa' is Japanese for bubble.


	11. Chapter 11: Let it Rip!

**Fate**

Hey peoples! Here's chapter 11. I admit to being a bit unsure about this chapter. It's a chapter that needs to happen for the story to continue but I'm not used to writing a chapter with so little dialogue. Sure, I included one scene where people actually had a conversation but the rest of it seems a bit disjointed as I go from one battle to the next. Hmm… that's just my opinion. For all I know, you guys might prefer chappie's like this. Review and tell me what you think, okay?

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**Chapter 11: Let it Rip!**

_Ever since we were told about Takao and his cousins' Curse, I've been doing some research into the matter. The Sohmas are a rich and powerful family in Japan. It's obvious that they are also a very careful family too. I can barely find any information on them, let alone their Curse. I was surprised to discover that nobody on the Internet even knows that Takao is related to the Sohmas. The only records on the Sohmas I can find relate only basic history and a bit about the companies and businesses they manage. Nothing else is known. There aren't even any conspiracy theories or anything. It's so odd._

_No other source of information is being very helpful in the matter either. The Sohmas themselves refuse to speak. Everyone just keeps saying to ask Takao if I want to know but I can't. It's obvious he doesn't even want to think about it let alone open up to me. What secret could be so bad? Why won't anyone tell me?_

_-Extract from the diary of the Chief._

* * *

(Takao's POV) 

I grinned as I took in the sight of Tala's shell-shocked face. It was obvious he had absolutely no idea what had just happened. From the looks of it, the audience was equally bewildered by what had happened. I wasn't that surprised though. We Sohmas are a strong bunch. We have to be.

I heard Momiji let out a huge squeal of encouragement when Ritsu stepped up to the bey dish for his battle against Ian. The Blitzkrieg Boy adjusted his goggles nervously as he prepared to release his blade, Wyborg. It seemed that he had lost a great deal of his usual calm and confidence upon seeing his team mate defeated so easily.

"Three, two, one…Let it rip!"

The battle started off dramatically with both blades immediately crashing into each other on release. It was obvious that Ian's Wyborg held a slight advantage over Ritsu's as its bigger size gave it additional strength. However, Ritsu's blade was phenomenally fast, skirting around Wyborg with ease and precision. Angered by not being able to directly attack Ritsu's blade, Ian called forth Wyborg in all its glory but this action, just like his team mate before him, ultimately led to his demise. Ritsu, for once completely calm and collected, called out his own bit beast, Jodan_1_. In a surge of sap green light, a giant monkey appeared and roared its battle cry.

Whilst everyone took in this latest arrival, I heard Yuki mutter, "We should have gotten him into beyblading sooner. It's doing wonders for his confidence."

I had to agree with that statement. Gone was the terrified and emotional cross dresser they all knew. In his place was the new Ritsu whose quiet self-assuredness was palpable as he directed Jodan to use its trickster's dream attack. Ritsu's blade immediately sped up to an alarming velocity. It was moving so swiftly that it appeared as if there were two dozen copies zooming constantly around the dish at the same time.

In retaliation to this, Ian made Wyborg use its wy crusher attack but Jodan's crazy speed didn't even make it possible for Wyborg's attack to hit it.

The match ended a couple of seconds later, when Ritsu's two dozen blades all converged on Wyborg at once, knocking him cleanly out of the dish.

* * *

Takao stretched out his back with a groan as he moved into a more comfortable position on his chair. He had been sitting in this seat all day, witnessing a variety of battles. 

Max and Rei had faced off against Rin and Haru after Momiji and Ritsu's victory over Ian and Tala. It had been a close battle between the two partners. Rin had just managed to defeat Max with the aid of he bit beast, Yami_2_ but Rei had managed to defeat Haru's black and white twin cow bit beast, Kagami_3_. As both teams had won a battle each, Rei and Rin versed each other to determine which team would advance. It was an extremely close battle between Rin's dark horse, Yami and Rei's white tiger, Drigger but in the end Drigger managed a spectacular attack that knocked Rin's blade out of the dish.

Yuki and Kagura's battle against Bryan and Spencer had also been pretty amazing. Kagura's boar bit beast, Shoutotsu_4_ had made light work against Spencer's Seaborg, much to the Russian boy's chagrin. Despite this, it was Yuki's battle against Bryan that had really kept the audience on the edge of their seats. Everyone knew how talented and fierce Bryan was when competing, so it was to their great surprise that Yuki managed to defeat Bryan's blade, Falborg, without even calling upon his own bit beast. Throughout the entire ordeal, Yuki hadn't even broken a sweat. He did however, flush slightly with embarrassment when the Yuki fan club did a victory dance in his honour, which involved a lot of acrobatic movement coupled with too short skirts.

"The next battle will be Hiro and Kisa Sohma against Takao Kinomiya and Kai Hiwatari," DJ Brad called with much enthusiasm, when the Yuki fan club had finished their routine.

"Finally," I mumbled under my breath as I made my way up onto the stage. Though all the previous battles had been awesome to watch, I had been itching to participate in one myself. This was also the last battle of the day, so I wanted to make it a good one. Unfortunately when Kai and I had drawn straws to determine who would battle first, I got the short straw so I still had to wait a bit to battle.

It was odd watching Kisa face off against Kai. Kisa was a few years younger than I was, so I didn't know her that well but she was still my cousin and a former member of the Zodiac. We Zodiac members had an unwritten code that all were naturally compelled to uphold. The most important aspect of that code was that we protect our own even if we don't actually get along. It was essentially a survival mechanism. Hence, I was torn between cheering on Kai or encouraging Kisa. Finally deciding to support them both, I cheered loudly as DJ Brad did the count down.

"Three, two one… Let it rip!"

It was obviously a tough battle on both of them. Even though Kisa looked the picture of innocence in her white, embroidered peasant dress, she was a strong and quick thinking blader. Her bit beast, Hikari_5_ was a beautiful golden tiger, which shone like a sun, blinding anyone who tried to look directly at it. Kai's phoenix, Dranzer made just as much of an impact as it appeared in all its fiery glory, knocking the temperature up a few degrees. The two blazing creatures exchanged multiple blows seeming to be of equal strength. Kai however, had a trick up his sleeve. He used the heat given off from Dranzer to speed up the air molecules around him and thus increasing Dranzer's velocity. This resulted in Kisa's blade being swiftly knocked out of the dish a few minutes later.

* * *

It was finally my turn to battle. I leapt up excitedly as I took Kai's spot at the edge of the bey dish. I saw Hiro comforting Kisa, his eyes kind as he promised to win for her. When he turned to face me however, his eyes instantly began to gleam with determination. 

"You're going down," he claimed arrogantly as he positioned himself to release his blade.

"You wish," I laughed back, completely unperturbed.

"Three, two, one… Let it rip!"

I released Dragoon in one quick motion, urging him on as I went. Hiro's black blade met my white one in a huge clash. They immediately began to grind against each other and I took this time to try and analyse Hiro's blade and tactics. Size wise, Hiro's blade was very similar to mine so I could ascertain that he, like me, relied more on velocity than brute force.

"Come forth, Keito!_6_" Hiro suddenly yelled.

I blinked as a large sheep appeared in a blaze of dark green light. It seemed that Hiro wanted a quick victory if he had already called upon his bit beast. I told Dragoon to hang back a bit so I could work out what Hiro was up to.

"Keito, thread trail attack!" Hiro commanded. I watched critically as I noticed that everywhere Hiro's blade went it left a glowing line behind. Hiro's blade whizzed all around the dish, not coming near enough to Dragoon to tempt an attack but close enough the Dragoon could not move far without touching one of the gleaming strands that marred the bey dish. Deciding to take a chance, I ordered my blade to touch one of the lines. Upon contact, the strand gave way under the pressure before springing back violently, knocking Dragoon off balance. Cursing under my breath, I looked at Hiro's blade, which was travelling through the lines as if they weren't there. Swearing once more, I realised that Keito was heading directly for me. There was no way I could dodge his direct attack, as I had no room to manoeuvre. Deciding to fight fire with fire, I urged Dragoon to meet Keito's blow directly. The blades hit each other in a shower of sparks but as Keito had such a long run up to the attack, its momentum easily overpowered Dragoon's sending my blade spinning towards one of the glowing threads. Knowing instinctively that Dragoon would be knocked out of the ring if it hit that line, I shouted, "Dragoon, phantom hurricane!"

A strong gust of wind lifted Dragoon, making it just miss the thread. I breathed a sigh of relief as I rationalised that I was safe in the air. That reasoning soon fell short when Keito jumped onto one of the stands and used it as a spring to catapult into the air. Realising that this match was getting out of control, I reacted impulsively calling out, "Dragoon, phantom hurricane, full power!"

In a swirl of dark blue light, Dragoon spun up a huge typhoon of wind, aiming it solely on the incoming form of Keito. The impact of the gale force winds sent Hiro's blade slamming back down to Earth. A huge crash was heard when it collided with the bey dish, a cloud of dust spewed forth a few seconds later.

When the dust had finally cleared, Hiro's blade was lying in a small crater of what remained of the bey dish. Dragoon landed a few seconds later, using its control of the wind to ease the landing.

"Takao is the winner!" DJ Brad bellowed, enticing the audience to cheer and applaud. "Kai and Takao advance to the next round of battles!"

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Takao jumped into the dish and retrieved Hiro's blade. He handed it the smaller boy before affectionately ruffling his hair.

"You had me really worried for a while there," I admitted. "Keep training, okay? I want to verse you again some time."

Hiro just glared at me. I sighed, unsure how I could sooth the boy's pride. Salvation came in the form of Kisa who took Hiro's hand and smiled brightly.

"That was the most amazing battle I've ever seen!" she gushed. "Will you teach me to be as good as you?"

"Of course," Hiro instantly acquiesced, his glare fading as he realised that Kisa wasn't mad at him for losing.

"Ah, young love," I sighed dramatically, prompting Hiro and Kisa to blush furiously.

* * *

(Kai's POV) 

BEEP, BEEP.

Rolling onto my side, I pressed the snooze button on my alarm clock and forced my eyes open. The glaringly bright face of the clock read 04:00. Groaning quietly, I got up and threw some clothes on all the time thinking about what had taken place the day before. Max, Rei, Yuki, Kagura, Momiji, Ritsu, Takao and I had all survived the our last battles and would be fighting each other for a place in round three of the tournament today. The bey battles yesterday had bordered on incredible. Takao's cousins were unknowns in competitive blading so their bit beasts, tactics and attacks had all been new and exciting. I was surprised how easily the Blitzkrieg Boys had been knocked out of the tournament though. My former team mates hadn't even managed to defeat one of the competing Sohmas. Yuki hadn't even called forth his bit beast!

Rei and Max I had expected to do well. After all, I had put them through a serious training regime once we found out we were participating in this tournament. Still, they had to struggle to beat Haru and Rin. It was becoming more and more obvious that the Sohmas were all outstanding bladers despite this being their first tournament. Even Kisa and Hiro, who were the youngest, were difficult to defeat. Today, Takao and I would be facing off against Momiji and Ritsu. I knew it was going to be a tough match.

Once I was suitably attired, I made my way silently down the stairs and onto the raised walkway that encompassed the perimeter of the house, wanting to see if Takao was training there. To my surprise, Tohru, Shigure, Max, Rei and the Chief were already seated there; watching in rapt awe as Takao's Grandpa simultaneously sparred with Takao and Yuki.

"Yo," Shigure greeted him as the guys all waved a greeting, their eyes not leaving the spectacle before them.

"Good morning Kai-san" Tohru smiled as she hand me a cup of tea. I took it with a nod of thanks and sat down, my back against a wall.

"They only just started," Max informed me, without looking at me.

Turning my gaze towards the fighting trio, I could understand why everybody was staring unerringly at them. Takao's Grandpa, Yuki and Takao were all very different people. Yet they were all in sync with each other as they sparred. From the looks of it, it was a free for all fight so they had to be aware of the movements of the people around them at all times lest they get taken by surprise.

It was apparent that Takao's Grandpa was the Master amongst them. His movements were a seamless transition of dodges, attacks and blocks. Yuki fought with his usual grace and elegance, never staying still long enough to give anyone the chance to hit him. It was Takao though that caught Kai's attention.

Moving with both speed and fluidity, Takao darted in and out of the blows on nimble feet. The soft moonlight illuminated his flowing hair as he occasionally pulled of flips and jumps to avoid the attacks of the other two males.

The match ended as a tie a short time later so as not to exhaust themselves before the upcoming bey battles.

As Takao and Yuki raced upstairs to have a shower, I followed everyone else into the living room whilst Tohru went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

"So how's everyone been doing?" Grandpa asked curiously.

"I've been having fun!" Max declared. "I can't wait til the battle today."

"Yeah, the bey battles have been great but to be honest, I'm a bit worried about Takao," Rei admitted.

"Why?" Shigure inquired.

"You're still keeping things from us, aren't you?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Grandpa replied carefully.

"Takao's scars, everyone being afraid of Akito, the whole 'the end is nigh' thing, what does it all mean?"

"We can't tell you," Shigure answered, his dark hair covering his eyes. "Not because we don't want to, nor because we don't think you have a right to know but it is Takao's story to tell, not ours. To tell you would be a betrayal in his eyes. There is a lot more to him then he lets on. I doubt anyone really knows Takao's true self. He has suffered a lot in his life. Even we Zodiac members cannot truly fathom the horrors he has faced. His Curse is different to ours in that he was born to suffer and suffer he has."

"It's really that bad?" Kenny asked apprehensively.

"Worse than you or I could ever know," Grandpa sadly admitted.

* * *

The morning flew by very quickly. Max's battle against Kagura was a long and gruesome test of endurance for the two opposing bladers. For most of the match, Max seemed in favour of winning. His bit beast Draciel had flooded the dish with a wave of water leaving Kagura only the outmost edge of the rim to circle around whilst Max's blade could easily skim over the water surface. Kagura was practically a sitting duck when Max encouraged Draciel to speed straight towards her blade, Shoutotsu. Just as he was about to knock her blade out of the dish, Kagura called out, "Shoutotsu, direct clash!" 

Shoutotsu took on an ethereal grey blue light as it charged directly into Max's oncoming blade. Shoutotsu slammed into Draciel, knocking it clear out of the dish before landing smoothly on the far edge of the bey dish.

"Kagura wins!" DJ Brad exclaimed.

Rei's battle against Yuki took nearly as long. Once more, Yuki didn't even bother calling out his bit beast (people were starting to speculate whether he actually had one or not) but that didn't make it any easier on Rei. Rei's bit beast, Drigger, fought with tooth and nail to defeat Yuki's blade but to no avail. After an age of trading blows, Drigger was eventually knocked out of the dish.

Takao faced off against Momiji next. Though many people were still distracted by the fact that Momiji's bit beast, Awa-chan was a giant rabbit, Takao didn't seem bothered in the slightest. He quite easily defeated Momiji by using Dragoon's phantom hurricane to gather up Awa-chan's bubbles, flinging them right back at the rabbit.

My battle against Ritsu wasn't as hard as I expected it to be either. As I had studied his moves yesterday during his battle with Ian, I knew how to counteract his attacks. It was still a very long battle but in the end I won but only after I had to set the entire bey dish alight.

Takao and I were now officially competing in round three of the tournament alongside Kagura and Yuki. For some reason that thought sent a shiver down my spine.

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A/N: People who review get good karma! 

1 Jodan is Japanese for joke.

2 Yami means darkness.

3 Kagami means mirror.

4 Shoutotsu means crash.

5 Hikari means light.

6 Keito means wool.


	12. Chapter 12: The Cat and the Rat

**Fate**

Hi! Sorry this updates kinda late but I really do seem to lead a busy life. On the plus side, I only have 9 days of high school left (not including block exams) and one of those days I'm gonna just be at our local theatre for a tech rehearsal playing cards with friends. Yay! Anyway, I wanna thank everyone who has stuck to this story. I'm quite pleased with how it's turning out, especially since it is my first fan fic. I am sad though to say that we are reaching the end of this fic. There will only be another 3 or so chapters, I think with perhaps an epilogue. So if there's anything that anyone wants me to add, explain better or thinks I've missed something, please tell me now. You'll also notice in this chappie that I've finally decided on pairings but they will probably only be slight.

I designate this chapter to Hiyami 'cause she always reviews and has become my latest msn buddy. Lol.

Take care!

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****Chapter 12: The Cat and the Rat**

_It is coming. I can feel it. My very bones are shaking with anticipation. My heart is overflowing with some dark, unknown emotion. Today will be the day that that foolish, centuries-long quarrel will be laid to rest. Though I am no longer fully burdened by the Curse, this one small part of it remains nestled deep within my soul. I know that it will not leave me until this matter is settled. I'm sure Takao will be pleased to finally get this stupid fight over with as well. The Cat within him has always compelled Takao to hate me just as the Rat within me forced me to reciprocate that feeling. That will end today. We shall battle, once and for all, in order to satisfy both Cursed creatures' honour and then I will be free at last. All ties connecting me to the Curse will be cut and I will no longer have to harbour this ugly, hateful side of me. I will emerge cleansed and then perhaps, I will finally be worthy enough to admit my feelings for Tohru._

_-Excerpt from the diary of Yuki Sohma._

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(Takao's POV) 

"Is everyone ready for the final round? C'mon people, show me how excited you are!" DJ Brad yelled into his microphone causing the excited audience members to release a loud, high-pitched scream.

I quickly clamped my hands over my ears as the wave of toneless noise bombarded me. _Stop it! That bloody hurts my ears!_

"Then strap yourselves in folks, 'cause today's battles are gonna blow you all away! Incidentally, our first bey battle today will be between the knockout strength of Kagura's bit beast Shoutotsu and Takao's stormy Dragoon! Let's here a cheer people!" DJ Brad continued much to my annoyance.

Grabbing my blade, I left the bench I had bee sitting on and began to make my way onto the blading platform. As I was walking past Kai, he placed a restraining hand on my shoulder. I met his eyes, curious to find out why he had stopped me. He didn't say anything though. He just met my gaze with determined red eyes and after squeezing my shoulder, stepped back to sit on the bench.

The whole exchange had barely taken a second but it stayed fixed in my mind as I continued to walk up to the bey dish. For some reason I felt strangely comforted though I had no reason to. Deciding that I should focus on the here and now and dwell on the mystery of Kai later, I pulled my concentration back onto the upcoming match.

"Are you ready, Takao?" Kagura asked. "You better be 'cause I'm not gonna go easy on you and I expect the same courtesy from you."

"Of course, fair lady," I smirked, giving her a small bow. "I would never dream of holding back on you."

Kagura giggled at my antics but both of us knew that I was partly lying. I wouldn't go all out on her. There was only one person in the world that could make me fight with my all and she wasn't it.

"Are both bladers ready?" DJ Brad queried. Upon receiving our affirming nods, DJ Brad began the countdown. "Three, two, one…LET IT RIP!"

On the command, I fired off my blade in one smooth motion. Dragoon and Shoutotsu circled around each other for a while, neither wanting to make the first move. Eventually, I got bored of this and ordered Dragoon to attack. Soon, both blades were grinding against each other with zeal. Shoutotsu held a slight advantage over Dragoon because it was a larger, sturdier blade but Dragoon gave as good as he got.

Deciding to kick it up a notch, I yelled, "Dragoon, phantom hurricane!"

In a swirl of navy light, Dragoon appeared. With an almighty roar, he began to spin, causing a huge typhoon to generate. The wind tugged at Shoutotsu, upsetting its balance before lifting it clear into the air.

The crowd squealed in delight, assuming that I had already won but I knew better. From what I had seen earlier in the tournament, Kagura was an awesome blader. She was very observant and quick to discover the flaws and weaknesses of other bladers and their blades. Thus, I waited with baited breath for her retaliation against my attack. I didn't have to wait long. Once Shoutotsu was hovering directly above my blade, she called forth her bit beast.

"Shoutotsu, direct clash!"

Emitting a heavenly blue grey aura, Shoutotsu emerged in all its boarish glory. Letting loose a war squeal, it charged straight down the centre of my hurricane, heading towards the defenceless eye of the storm: my blade. I could hear the audience gasp as they realised what was about to happen. I ignored them though as I focused solely on the two blades. I commanded Dragoon to move out of the way but Shoutotsu stayed with me, changing course less than a second after my blade would move. Knowing there was nothing I could do, I waited, holding my breath. Shoutostu was twenty centimetres_1_ away from impact… fifteen centimetres… ten centimetres… five centimetres… three centimetres…

"NOW, DRAGOON!" I yelled. Drawing upon the wind and its superior speed, Dragoon swiftly moved out of the way just before Shoutotsu could hit my blade. Shoutotsu had no time to adjust its course and promptly crashed into the hard cement of the bey dish. When the consequent cloud of dust had settled, Dragoon was still spinning whilst Shoutotsu was lying sedentary in a decent-sized crater.

"THE WINNER IS TAKAO!" DJ Brad exclaimed, once more prompting an ear-piercing scream from the audience.

"Well done," Kagura smiled as she jumped into the bey dish to retrieve Shoutotsu. I couldn't help but grin in response. I offered her a hand to help her out of the dish, which she graciously accepted. Impulsively, I pulled her into a hug when I lifted her out, being careful to avoid contact between our chests.

"Thank you," I whispered for her ears only.

"For what?" she questioned.

I just smiled in response before heading back to Kai. I could feel her gaze on me as I walked away but I didn't turn back.

"Your turn," I said to Kai when I reached him.

He just nodded and headed off to the bey dish for his match. Reminiscent of earlier, I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder as he passed. He raised one eyebrow at me in query but I just smiled and squeezed his shoulder before plopping down onto the bench. I followed him with my eyes as he made his way onto the blading platform to face off against Yuki.

My eyes wandered around the stadium as I waited for DJ Brad to finish his usual introduction spiel. Kagura was now sitting amongst all the bladers who had been defeated during the tournament. Rei, Max and Kenny were happily sitting amongst his cousins, all of whom were eager to watch the match.

An exuberant bout of laughter drew my gaze to an area a little above my cousins and team mates to where my Grandpa, Hatori, Shigure, Tohru and a silver haired individual were sitting. It was the silver haired man who was laughing so loudly and on closer inspection, I realised with a shiver that it was my cousin Ayame. I hadn't recognised him for a second due to his long silver haired being pulled back in a braid. He wore a long red coat, which contrasted sharply with his golden eyes. Underneath his coat, he donned a pair of white, flowing pants and a long-sleeved, white shirt complete with lace cuffs. His boisterous laughter could even be heard above the cheers if the crowd. _Oh God! Why does that Snake bastard have to be here?_

I shuddered before turning my gaze to Yuki to see if he'd noticed that his brother was here. From the angry but terrified look on his face, I came to the conclusion that yes, he knew. _Poor bastard_.

"Let the match begin! Three, two, one… LET IT RIP!" DJ Brad exclaimed, oblivious to the fact that Yuki was clearly not ready. The yell seemed to knock Yuki out of his stupor though for he quickly released his black blade into the dish.

I watched the blades exchange blows for a while but I soon found my attention wavering. I knew how this match would end even though I didn't like what the outcome would be. Kai would lose. I'd known it instinctively ever since it was announced he would battle Yuki just as I'd known innately that I would defeat Kagura. It is fate that Yuki and I should verse each other after all. Hence, Kai must be beaten. That was why I had mimicked his earlier action and squeezed his shoulder. It was my way of showing that it didn't matter that he would lose. I hope he took some comfort in my gesture.

My eyes once more began to flit around the stadium. I spotted Kureno sitting up in one of the guest boxes, Akito by his side. As if sensing my look, Akito turned and caught my eye. He winked, making me squirm in my seat. I quickly pulled my gaze away and looked back towards Yuki and Kai's battle.

Kai had called out Dranzer and the fiery phoenix was bombarding Yuki's blade with balls of fire. Yuki didn't look the slightest bit put off, however. His blade didn't seem to have taken much damage from Kai's attacks either. It was apparent that Kai was becoming more and more frustrated as time wore on and he didn't seem to be making any leeway. Kai not only increased the power of his blade's attacks but he also used the same trick he had used on Kisa, using Dranzer's fire power to speed up the air molecules around his blade and thus increasing its speed. This proved ineffectual however, as Yuki's blade also upped the anti. With no other choice available, Kai ordered Dranzer to put all its power behind one final attack. This resulted in a huge wall of flame being sent at Yuki's blade. The fiery attack encompassed the whole bey dish, leaving Yuki's blade no room to manoeuvre in.

Once more the crowd went wild, fully expecting Kai to have won. After all, Yuki hadn't even called forth a bit beast yet. How in the world could he win against the mighty Kai?

I knew better though. Just as I had anticipated, Yuki's blade survived the blast with barely a scratch and promptly rammed Dranzer out of the dish. The battle was over. Yuki had won.

* * *

(Kai's POV) 

I couldn't believe. I had lost! Not only that but I had hardly managed to make a dent on Yuki's blade at all.

The cheers of the audience had all been silenced as everyone contemplated what had just happened. A nobody without a bit beast had defeated me, one of the best bladers in the world!

_What was everybody going to think? What were his team mates going to think? What about Takao?_

The awkward silence crept on, as nobody knew what to do or how to react. Even Yuki just watched on with an odd look in his eyes. Suddenly the silence was broken by the sound of quiet footsteps approaching me from behind. They stopped as they reached me and I felt a warm arm wrap around my shoulders.

"That was quite a match," Takao commented. "You've gotten heaps stronger than when I last battled you. That last attack was amazing."

"But it wasn't enough," I mumbled, angry with myself for sounding so disappointed.

Takao squeezed my shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't take it too hard, Kai. I know that this probably won't make sense to you but it was fated that you would lose this battle just as Kagura would lose to me," Takao continued, his voice dropping down to a whisper.

"What do you mean?" I demanded angrily. I didn't like where this is going. _Was Takao trying to tell me that I'm too weak to defeat Yuki or was he trying to make excuses so that I wouldn't feel that it was my fault I had lost?_ Either way, it annoyed me.

"He means what he said," Yuki cut in quietly before Takao could reply. "Think about it, Kai. You have just discovered that Takao suffers from a Curse, as did so many of his relatives. This is the first time in which all of the Zodiacs have all been alive at the same time. It is not just by chance that we have all gathered here. There are forces greater than you'll ever know controlling what is happening. It was your fate to lose against me because Takao and I must fight each other. It is a long time coming. So don't beat yourself up over your loss. Sit back and enjoy my match with Takao. Trust me, you won't wanna miss this battle."

I had no idea how to respond to what Yuki had just mentioned to me, so I just stood there and stared at him like an idiot. Takao seemed to notice my ineptitude to do anything so he took my hand and led me over to where Rei, Max, Kenny and the rest of the Sohmas were sitting. He sat me between Kagura and Momiji, placed something in my hand then raced back to the bey dish for his battle.

"What was that about?" Max asked from his seat behind me.

"Let me guess, they explained to you that you were destined to lose because Yuki and Takao have to battle each other?" Haru guessed.

"Yeah," I nodded still a bit dazed by the revelation. "Hang on, you guys knew I was going to lose?" My hands unconsciously tightened into fists and I realised that I was clutching Dranzer in one hand.

"Yep, just like I knew I was gonna lose. You can't change what has been decided," Kagura replied.

"What are you talking about? Why is it Takao and Yuki's fate to verse each other?" Rei asked, looking bewildered.

Momiji quickly glanced around to see if anyone was listening who shouldn't be before he answered.

"Because Taka-chan and Yun-chan are or in Yun-chan's case were, the Cat and the Rat. Don't you remember the story? The Rat tricked the Cat into missing the party. Thus, the Cat hates the Rat because it fooled him and the Rat loathes the Cat because he was gullible enough to fall for the trick in the first place," Momiji stated succinctly.

"I HEARD THAT!" Takao yelled at them from where he was standing opposite Yuki causing everyone to sweat drop and Momiji to scratch his head sheepishly.

"In any case," Momiji continued, "the grudge that those two share has been passed on through every new generation of Zodiacs. Now it will be settled once and for all."

"It's gonna be one hell of a battle too," Rin remarked, sitting up straighter on Haru's lap in order to get a better view. We finally get to see both of them go all out."

"You mean they've both been holding back?" Kenny wondered aloud.

"Yep," Kagura replied. "Those two always hold back in their battles. They will only use their true strength against each other so be warned. You're going to witness a side of Takao you've probably never seen before or will see again."

DJ Brad beginning the countdown cut off all further conversation.

"Three, two, one… LET IT RIP!"

From the second that their blades were launched, I was enthralled. Both blades sped easily around each other grinding and initiating attacks whilst dodging their opponents counter strikes. It was almost like watching a swift, intricate dance. The grace and skill, which governed the blades' movements, was incredible and the quiet, controlled power that both blades displayed was humbling. It was a far cry from both bladers' usual style. The reckless but calculated attacks that Takao was famous for were absent as was Yuki's preference to wait his opponent out. It was obvious that I wouldn't have lasted a whole minute against Yuki if he had been battling seriously like this.

It soon become obvious that both blades were evenly matched. Yuki seemed to notice this soon as he finally decided to call upon his bit beast.

"Show yourself, Fubuki!_2_" he commanded. A soft chiming sound filled the air as a pure white rat with violet eyes appeared in a whirl of silver light. Soft, pure snow floated gently around it making the crowd gasp at the beautiful scene.

"So that's Yuki's bit beast? It's pretty," Kisa observed. Hiro nodded his head in agreement.

"You mean you've never seen it before?" I inquired.

"No, we haven't," Ritsu answered.

"Fubuki will only reveal itself when facing Takao. To Fubuki, no one else is worthy of its attention," Kagura explained. "Oh, look. I think Takao's gonna call forth his bit beast as well!" she exclaimed excitedly. Her remark caused every Sohma to immediately fix their gaze on Takao and lean forward in anticipation.

"What's the big deal?" Max asked, his brow furrowed. "You've all seen Dragoon before."

"Whoever said it was Dragoon we were waiting to see?" Kagura asked, flashing them a grin.

Before I could ask what she'd meant, Takao's voice cut me off.

"Come out, Kaze!" Takao yelled. The deep throb of drums filled the air as black light wafted into the stadium. The swirls of black light soon coalesced into a large black cat with shining sapphire eyes.

"What the hell?!" Rei exclaimed. "Where's Dragoon? How can Takao have two bit beasts?"

"Well, with us Zodiacs, our bit beast is strongly based on the animal spirit that once resided in us. Takao is no different. However, like Fubuki, Kaze obviously refuses to reveal itself to any but Fubuki, which is why no one's ever seen it before barring Takao of course. This also explains why Takao always uses Dragoon in his battles," Kagura reasoned. "I told you you'd see a side of Takao you'd never seen before."

The battle became incredibly fierce once Fubuki and Kaze were called out. Snow fluttered in the air whilst the two blades fought for dominance. Kaze released strong blasts of wind in an effort to throw Fubuki out of the bey dish. Yuki's blade countered this by mercilessly pelting Kaze with spears of ice. The battle continued thus with both blades taking only minor damage.

It was clear that neither of the bladers would be able to keep this up for much longer, so both resorted to a final attack.

"FUBUKI…" Yuki yelled.

"KAZE…" Takao screamed at the same time.

"ICE ERUPTION!"

"SHADOW GUST!"

The stadium was blinded with silver and black light as both bit beasts released their attacks. The icy silver light clashed with the black wind with a thunderous bang that momentarily deafened everyone. When the light cleared, I eagerly looked over to what remained of the bey dish, wanting to determine who had won the ferocious exchange. My eyes widened as I identified the lone blade spinning amongst the debris...

* * *

A/N: Yes, it's cliffie! Sorry guys but I figured it was about time that I left you with one. Also, I still haven't decided whether Yuki or Takao should emerge the victor. What do you think? Who should win? Review and tell me please! 

1 I'm an Aussie so I use the metric system. For those of you who use the imperial measurement system, 1 inch 2.54 centimetres.

2 Fubuki means blizzard.


	13. Chapter 13: When the Truth comes out

**Fate**

Hiya peoples! I'm sorry this chapter took so long to come out but I've been busy with block exams, graduation mass, the formal and spending time celebrating with my friends. That's right! I've officially graduated from high school. Hell yeah! SMCC seniors '07 forever! Lol. So yes, I have a very good excuse for not updating. To make it up to you guys though, this chapter is extra long so please enjoy. This is either the second or third last chappie in this fic so I hope you all take the trouble to review. I'd really like to know what everyone thinks of this, especially as this was my first ever attempt at writing fan fiction. Reminder: I don't own either Beyblades of Fruits Basket, so please don't sue me!

Special thanks to Hiyami, Vuurvlieg, isthatnecessary, noelle, Sakurabound, Seethingkitsune, flamehaze-shana and Chandra for reviewing the last chappie. cheers guys!

* * *

**Chapter 13: When the Truth comes out…**

_I remember once, long ago, I made a vow. It was a stupid, foolish thing to do. Spurred by hatred and bitterness, I promised Yuki that one-day, I would kill him and then kill myself._

_I was barely six when I made this pledge, yet I had already suffered so much that I could contemplate such a horrid course of action. It was such a nasty upbringing I had. Even when Grandpa took me in, I could not escape my past or the feelings of pain, misery and self-hatred._

_My Mother killed herself because she couldn't bear having the Cursed Cat as her son. My Father left us because of my presence then blamed me when my Mother committed suicide. All this because I was the Cat of the Zodiac. How I loathed myself for what I had no control over. I was all alone because of the Curse._

_Even Kagura, my first ever friend had an ulterior motive, just as all the other Zodiac members were using met too. To them, it was a necessity that I was a monster. It was essential that I will one day be incarcerated against my will, never to have freedom again. It is the Cat's duty to have such a fate. The Zodiacs are monsters, creatures unlike any living thing here. The pain we've had to endure just to survive in this godforsaken world…_

_Far as the other Zodiac members are concerned, me being possessed by the Cat is a form of salvation for them. Without my presence, they'd have been troubled by their own Curse. Compared to them, I am an uglier monster, inferior in every way. They all looked down on me and were glad that even though they are burdened by the Curse, someone out there was suffering much worse then they were._

_I have grown up a fair bit since I made that dumb vow. I know Yuki well enough now to put that stupid grudge behind me. I will not kill him. As for me, who knows?_

_-An extract from the diary of Takao Kinomiya(1)._

* * *

(Kai's POV)

It was Takao's blade! As this revelation hit me, I found myself releasing a breath I hadn't even realised I had been holding. Takao had beaten Yuki! He had won the tournament!

The applause from the audience was deafeningly loud but it was nothing compared to the eardrum-shattering cheers coming from my team mates and Takao's cousins. I was surprised to find myself clapping and yelling along with those around me but at the point in time, I was too caught up in the moment to care. I followed Kagura and Momiji as she led us all onto the stage so we could personally congratulate the two bladers. I beamed at the stupefied Takao as he met my eye. It was clear that he couldn't believe that he had just won.

Celebratory confetti, streamers and balloons soon filled the air as the audience's exuberant cheering continued. Everything was a blur to me as I was hugged by elated friends and strangers alike. Everybody seemed happy and excited by the outcome of the tournament. Even Yuki look pleased despite his loss. At one stage, I overheard Rei asking him if he was all right losing to Takao. Yuki had just smiled and said that it was a weight of his chest and that with the end of Takao and his grudge, he was now free to pursue more important matters. I smirked as I noticed his eyes wander towards the smiling form of Tohru as he answered. After grinning at Rei, Yuki began to weave his way through the crowd towards her but was stopped by a lace-cuffed hand on his shoulder. Much to everyone's amusement, he was suddenly yanked away from Tohru and into the arms a tall, silver haired individual.

"Yuki! You have suffered a great defeat but don't worry! I am not ashamed of your loss! Come cry into my bosom! Yes, cry away all your disappointment and sorrow! I will avenge you, Yuki!" the silver-haired man vowed in a surprisingly deep voice. He then proceeded to suffocate Yuki against his chest and squeeze the life out of him. Yuki ended up fainting from lack of oxygen but after a quick round of CPR from Hatori, he was revived. He then proceeded to violently punch the man (who I was told later by Momiji was his brother, Ayame), before rushing over to a reassure Tohru who had had a minor panic attack upon seeing Yuki passed out.

Despite all this merriment however, I noticed that Takao wasn't really enjoying himself. He smiled as people congratulated him and laughed at the antics of the people around him but it was clear to me that his heart wasn't' really in it. I frowned as I saw his gaze flick over to one of the guest boxes nervously.

Following his line of sight, I frowned as I saw Akito watching over us with an unreadable expression on his face. In the shadows behind him, I noted the presence of that Kureno guy. He watched on expressionlessly at the scene before him. I had to physically restrain myself from shivering when Akito noticed my stare. His lips lifted upwards in a creepy parody of a smile and the small wink he sent me chilled my blood. I wrenched my gaze away and looked back towards Takao. As our eyes locked and for an instant his grinning façade vanished and a serious and worried expression stole over his face. I blinked and he was back to his usual energetic self, receiving a hug from Momiji. I frowned, all traces of my earlier mirth dissipating as quickly as it had come. _Why was Takao so anxious?_

As I continued to ponder this, I looked around and took stock of the situation. It didn't escape my attention that only Takao's male cousins hugged in congratulations whist the females settled for kissing his cheek. Well, except for Rin who just kicked him in the shin and smirked. For the first time, I also noticed how Takao always managed to evade hugs from girls like Emily and Mariah without seeming to do so. For some reason I felt my heart clench as I finally understood how careful Takao had to be in crowds. The slightest slip and he could end up revealing his Curse to the world.

"All bladers please clear the stage so we can present the tournament trophy and begin the concluding ceremony. Can the final four participants of the tournament please remain on stage," DJ Brad's voice resounded throughout the stadium, effectively breaking up the celebrations and dragging me back into reality.

As everyone began to make their way back to their respective seats, I pushed through the crowd in order to get to where Takao was standing. I reached him the same time as Yuki and Kagura.

"Congratulations, Takao," I murmured.

"Wow, thanks so much, Kai. That means a lot coming from you," he replied cheerfully.

I frowned. His voice sounded off and his smile didn't match the troubled look in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," he mumbled.

"Takao, I know you're lying. I can tell that you're worried about something."

"How?" he challenged.

"I…just do," was my convincing reply. _How did I know?_

"Takao-kun," Kagura scolded. "Will you please just tell us what's bothering you? We know you far too well to fall for your happy-go-lucky act so please just let us know already."

There was a brief pause as Takao clearly battled with himself over whether or not to tell us.

"It's to do with Akito, isn't it?" Yuki sighed, sick of watching Takao hesitate.

Takao flinched in reply as if the name itself was synonymous with terror but shook his head negatively.

"No, it's just… I feel really odd. Ever since I beat you, I've felt as if something… I'd just done something dooming. Like I just signed my own death warrant or something. I-I know it sounds really stupid but I can't shake this feeling," he explained in a rush.

"Intuition?" Kagura wondered allowed. "Is it… the same feeling you had when you… sensed the end was nigh?"

I started, recalling that incident so many weeks ago when Takao had fallen sick. That was the first time he had mentioned the end being nigh and consequently, the first occasion when I had realised that there was more to Takao than what I knew.

"N-no. It's similar but at the same time very different," Takao answered, avoiding my gaze.

"Different how?" Yuki questioned.

"This feeling is more…intense, like it's more personal, I guess," he responded, struggling to explain.

"Personal?" I asked, my brow furrowing in bafflement.

"The feeling I had…back then made me feel like I was facing death and it was slowly consuming me. This feeling I have now, it's as if…as if I'm going to lose something much more precious than my life. I feel as if I'm breaking apart at the seams, all hope and happiness I posses forcefully ripped away from me."

Takao shuddered and I unconsciously put an arm around his shoulder and pulled him against my chest, in a bid to give him some sort of comfort.

I saw Yuki and Kagura glance at each other, silently communicating over what they had just heard. They soon came to an understanding apparently, as Yuki opened his mouth to speak but whatever he was about to say was cut off by DJ Brad and Akito's entrance onto the stage.

Several girls screamed in pleasure as Akito smiled and waved at the audience members.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, a big round of applause to all the participants of this tournament," the DJ yelled into his microphone over the audience. As expected, the crowd instantly began to clap and sheer anew.

"Now a big round of applause to Yuki Sohma, Kagura Sohma and Kai Hiwatari for surviving til the final round of the competition!" DJ Brad exclaimed when the crowd had quietened. The screaming and clapping started up once more, this time taking a lot longer to die down.

"And now," DJ Brad called, gesturing the audience to silence, "I am proud to present to you the winner of the tournament…TAKAO KINOMIYA!"

A pure wave of sound assaulted my ears as Takao stepped forward to receive the trophy from Akito. The trophy was a decent-sized, golden, twin-handle cup set upon a rose wood platform. Takao smiled tightly at the cheering people whilst he approached Akito. From this close distance, I could see his hands shaking as he received the trophy. I scowled as Akito leaned forward and spoke quietly into his ear, annoyed that the crowd's loud cheering made it impossible for me to hear what he was saying. Takao paled at whatever Akito had said before nodding once and bowing respectfully. He then turned away and walked back towards where we were standing. I tried to catch his eye but he wouldn't look up from the ground. Nor did he say anything when he joined us again.

I exchanged worried looks with Kagura and Yuki. _What had Akito said?_

* * *

(Takao's POV)

I stood there inattentively as the rest of the closing ceremony of the tournament took place. I let myself be guided off stage by my cousins and Kai, not really conscious of where I was going. I didn't really care, my mind too busy to process what was going on around me. Akito's words to me just played repeatedly over in my head.

_"I'll see you later. We'll talk properly then. I'll see you later. We'll talk properly then. I'll see you later. We'll talk properly then. I'll see you later. We'll talk properly then"_

I shivered. Those words, which would have sounded light and casual in any other situation, terrified me. I knew that they were just a sugar-coated version of what Akito really meant. _'You can't escape me. I'll deal with you properly when I next see you.'_

Growling softly in fear-induced frustration, I tightened my grip on the two things that seemed to be grounding me. The hard metal of the tournament trophy dug mercilessly into my skin but I didn't loosen my grip on it. Nor did I slacken my grip on Kai's arm. I don't know when I placed my hand there but I wasn't about to let go. He hadn't complained yet about it and until he did, my hand was staying where it was.

I looked up, realising that the closing ceremony had finally ended. I was now being out of the main arena by Kai, my cousins and team mates following behind me. I had no idea where everyone else had gone. The endless chairs, which filled up the stadium, were mostly empty now but I didn't dwell on it long as Kai pulled me along the twisting corridors towards our locker room.

When we reached the locker room, I wasn't surprised to find Akito already waiting there, Kureno by his side. I could feel Kai tensing up beside me but he continued to lead me into the room regardless, everyone else trailing in behind us. The weird feeling I had intensified as every second passed. I knew instinctively what was gonna happen. The instant the locker room door was shut, Akito lunged.

I couldn't suppress a groan of pain as Akito ripped my arm from Kai's and held me against her body. She grabbed my hair roughly with one hand and pulled my head back so her mouth was right next to my ear, my back resting against her black-clad chest.

Kai, Max, Rei and Kenny all moved as if to free me from my position but were all stopped by my cousins.

"You can't help him," Hatori stated sadly. "None of us have that power."

"Like hell, I can't!" Kai growled, trying to escape Yuki's restraining arms.

"Learn your place, Boy," Akito smirked. "You are nothing compared to me."

"And just what are you?" Rei demanded, trying to shrug off Shigure's grip.

Akito's eye darkened and a malicious smile tugged at her lips she replied.

"God."

For a second the room was silent as my team mates pondered this latest revelation and then the pensive moment was broken by the snort that issued from Max's mouth.

"So? Who cares if you're the reincarnation of the God of the Zodiacs? The Curse is broken after all and unless you start spewing laser beams from your eyes or something, I'm willing to bet the only power you have is, or rather was, over the Zodiac members," he reasoned sardonically.

Akito just smirked in response.

"Um… Max?" Kagura began. "You're right about Akito only having power over the Zodiac members and the Curse has been broken… but not for everyone," she concluded looking pointedly at where I was standing, locked in Akito's vice like grip.

"Oh, I forgot about that part," Max replied dumbly.

"So you have been informed about the Zodiacs, huh?" Akito stated, levelling a glare at me. "Whatever, that's not important now. Takao, did you honestly think that I care that you finally defeated Yuki? Did you really think I'd stick to the rules of that stupid bet and let you become a true part of our family? Insolent fool! As if I would let a disgusting creature like you join us. That was just a ruse to get you to keep living, just as this tournament was. Don't think I didn't know about your plans to kill yourself before I got my hands onto you."

I heard a collective gasp sound from my family and friends.  
"You can't be serious!" Kenny cried.

"…Takao?" Rei whispered as Max whimpered.

"Is this true?" Kai demanded.

I just averted my gaze from them all. I couldn't bear the thought of looking into their eyes for fear of seeing disgust, anger and worst of all, pity. I heard several people begin to sob as my silence was obviously taken to be an affirmative.

"So that's why you became involved in this tournament, Akito," Grandpa murmured sadly. "It was to give him a reason to continue living, despite knowing that the end was nigh. You would go so far to hurt him?"

"Fate holds us all hostage, some more so than others. He is destined to suffer confinement just as I am destined to confine him," Akito answered, smiling menacingly.

"Stop making up stupid excuses! You can't use 'fate' and 'destiny' to pardon your own actions. You aren't being forced to hurt him, so stop doing it!" Kai growled.

I gulped as Kai's words made the smile drop from Akito's face and his glare to intensify.

"I told you to mind your place, Boy. You have no right to speak of something you know nothing of," Akito grumbled, her voice deepening as she spoke. "Why are you defending Takao anyway? You treat me like I'm the epitome of evil yet you're fighting so hard to aide this monster," Akito muttered as she tightened her grip, her nails digging cruelly into my skin. "Why?"

"Why do you keep calling him that?" Max demanded, angry tears spilling from his eyes. "Takao's not a monster! Just because he is affected by the Curse that makes him turn into a cat when hugged by girls doesn't make him a monster!"

"That's right," Rei stated, as Kai, Kenny and Tohru nodded in agreement. The rest of my family just looked at each other with foreboding expressions on their faces. They knew what was about to happen just as I did.

"Akito, please don't!" I begged shamelessly._ I don't want them to know._

Akito looked at me with a sadistic gleam in his eye.

"They don't know?" Akito exclaimed, joyfully. "Oh, this is priceless. This whole time they've been standing here fighting for you without even knowing what kind of a freak you are," she chuckled nastily.

"What are you talking about?" Kai snarled, his red eyes flashing dangerously.

"Did it never occur to you that Takao is different from the others? Takao turns into a cat when hugged by a female just as Yuki used to transform into a rat and Shigure into a dog yet Takao is not treated the same way as they are. Why?" Akito directed at my team mates.

_No. Please! Don't let her tell them_.

"Because…because he's the only one who's still burdened with the Curse?" Kenny guessed.

Akito shook her head.

"Because he's the Cat?" Rei asked uncertainly.

"Bingo!" Akito replied. "Now, how does the Cat differ from the rest of the animals?"

I could see the intense looks of concentration on my friends' faces as they pondered her question. My body trembled as I restrained myself from screaming. I began to struggle but Akito just tightened her grip on me.

_Don't think about it! Please! Don't let them work it out._

I could tell the instant Kai worked it out. His whole body tensed and his eyes sought my own tortured ones as he spoke.

"God punished the Cat."

"Correct," Akito nodded. "Do you want to know the truth about Takao? Do you want to know what he's been hiding from you for all those years? Are you ready to see the true form of the Cat?" Akito asked maliciously, his hand pushing up my jacket sleeve and grasping the dark red and white beaded bracelet on my wrist.

_I DON'T WANT THEM TO KNOW!_

With a smirk, Akito ripped the bracelet from my wrist in one swift motion.

My eyes grew round in terror as the first tremors of pain began to race through me. For a moment my eyes locked with Kai's red ones and time seemed to stand still, then the pain doubled and looked away. I desperately shut my eyes to block out the horrified looks of my friends and family as I felt my bones begin to snap and rearrange. I heard my shirt and my jacket tear as my chest and shoulders broadened significantly. Akito had long ago let go of me and I collapsed onto my knees as my legs lengthened and thickened. My arms did the same and lethal claws soon replaced my feet and hands. I felt my next lengthen also, my skin stretching to accommodate. My ears became long and sinuous and my teeth sharpened significantly. The skin on my body hardened and grew a cover of orange-brown fur and my eyes became a putrid purple colour. The smell of rotting corpses filled the air as my transformation ended.

I stayed extremely still as the last tinges of pain vanished. I took a deep breath and after gathering as much courage as I could muster, forced my eyes open. My family looked at me with sorrow in their eyes but also with acceptance. They had all seen me like this before and understood why I was like this. I didn't bother looking at Akito, knowing I would only see a smirk or a look of triumph on her face. I paused before turning to regard Tohru. She was clearly frightened but gave me a small, watery smile as she noticed my look. I saw her hand tighten around Yuki's and I knew that she would be able to cope and accept this latest revelation.

I felt torn as I forced my eyes to keep moving towards my team mates. I couldn't bear the thought of seeing their reactions but at the same time, I needed to know.

Swallowing nervously, I looked at them. Kenny looked faint and was shivering violently, Max was crying, his face wearing a horrified expression. Rei was clearly aghast at my true form and Kai… Kai's face was unreadable. He just stared at me unerringly, his mouth hanging partly open.

"…Takao?" Kai murmured unsurely.

Unable to withstand the sheer uncertainty in his voice, I did the only thing I could think of. I ran.

* * *

A/N: As you can see, Takao won the tournament. Basically every review I had asked for me to make Takao the victor, which leaves me to wonder how many people would flame me if Yuki had won. (I was considering doing that just to see what kind of response I got, lol) Anyway, as my high school graduation prezzie, I want you all to send me a review please. C'mon, it's not that hard to do…

1 Partly based on Chapter 108, Volume 19.


	14. Chapter 14: The End

**Fate**

Hi everybody. Yes, I admit that this chapter is a bit late. I meant to write it last week but I'm afraid I got caught up in doing other stuff. A friend of mine came up from Brisbane and I wanted to spend some time catching up with her. Incidentally, I'm dedicating this chapter to YanYan though I don't know if she'll ever actually read this. Hmm….

Anyhoo, other things to note. I finally got my Ps so I've also been busy driving around town. Yay! The best news however is that I got my OP last Saturday. I'm very proud to say I received a 2! Hell yeah! Lol.

Back to the story, I'm sad to say that this is the final chapter of Fate. I hope you guys like the ending. It's a bit cliché but hey. I think any other ending would have been weird.

I am considering doing an epilogue though so if there's anything you think I should elaborate on or include in this story, tell me and I'll stick it in the epilogue. Well, I think that's about all. Merry Christmas and a happy new year everyone. Ja ne!

Big thanks to Trinity Tomoe, Hiyami, AznVKai, DaughterofDeath, seethingkitsune, animeraven259 and Sakurabound for reviewing. Cheers guys!

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**Chapter 14: The End**

_I was so happy you were smiling_

_With a smile that melts everything away._

_Spring is still far away in side the cold earth,_

_Waiting for the time to sprout._

_For instance, even if today is painful,_

_And yesterday's wounds remain,_

_I want to believe that I can free my heart and go on._

_I cannot be reborn,_

_But I can change as I go on, so_

_Let's stay together, always!_

_Smile only at me and touch me with those fingers._

_This simple desire is everlasting._

_I want things to be simple._

_Let's finally get across this sea of mournful sorrow._

_For instance, even if today is painful,_

_Some day it will become a warm memory,_

_If you leave everything up to your heart._

_I understand the meaning of our living here,_

_It is to know the joy of having been born._

_Let's stay together always!_

_-Fruits Basket Opening Theme (For Fruits Basket by Ritsuko Okazaki)_

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(Kai's POV)

I watched in horrified fascination as Akito suddenly ripped Takao's bracelet from his wrist. For a brief moment, nothing happened but from the look in Takao's eyes, I could tell this wasn't going to last. Then the moment was over and the air seemed to warp as his metamorphosis began to take place. I bit back the urge to gag as the nauseating stench of death and decay filled the air. This was soon followed by the horrible sound of bones popping out of their joints.

Kenny and Max who were standing next to me quickly averted their gaze as Takao's limbs began to stretch sickeningly but I continued to watch, unable to look away even for an instant.

As I continued to witness Takao's transformation, it suddenly hit me that Takao was Cursed. I hadn't understood what that had actually meant until this moment. Before, when I had l been told about the Zodiac Curse, I had just thought _'So Takao will turn into the Cat if he's exhausted or hugged by a member of the opposite sex. No big deal'_

But it was a big deal. Takao had suffered so much both mentally and physically because of the Curse and I had been a fool to think otherwise.

I had known that Takao had some pretty dark secrets but I had never expected anything like this. It didn't seem right that the cheerful, forgiving bluenette who had helped so many people in his life had to suffer in such a way. It just wasn't fair.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, Takao's transformation ended. I gazed at the creature before me noticing that he was as tense as a bowstring and that faint tremors were racking his body. Takao took a deep breath and opened his eyes, gauging the reactions of the room's occupants. He seemed to have been expecting the reactions of his family and was obviously put at ease. Then his body became taut again as he finally looked towards the Rei, Kenny, Max and I.

We finally got to have a good look at the creature that was Takao and I felt the guys next to me stiffen even more. There was no denying that he was a hideous beast but for some reason, what shocked me most were Takao's eyes. No longer were they the brilliant, stormy blues that he was famous for. His eyes were now a foul purple shade with a thin black slit for a pupil. Fear, hopelessness and sorrow shone forth from his eyes, making my heart momentarily freeze. They were the eyes of someone who knew nothing but pain.

"…Takao?" I murmured uncertainly, as I looked down at the beast before me.

I kicked myself as his name left my mouth. Even I could hear how unsure I sounded. I wasn't surprised when he immediately fled from the room after that. It was obvious I had hurt him.

Unsure of what to do, I turned to my team mates only to find that they were still all in various states of shock. Realising they would be no help whatsoever, I turned to regard Takao's family. They were just standing there, some looking at the door, which Takao had raced out of, others staring at the ground near their feet. Nobody moved.

"Why aren't you guys doing anything? It's clear you all knew about this aspect of the Cat's Curse. Isn't their anything that you can do?" I demanded.

My question snapped everyone out of their daze, their eyes swivelling to face me. I shivered as I felt Akito's dark gaze on me but disregarded it as I focused my attention on Kagura who had opened her mouth to answer my question.

"No," she stated sadly. "There's nothing that we can do."

"What…?" I began.

"Wait!" Kagura stopped me. "Please hear me out." Taking a deep breath she continued. "Do you remember when Takao and I were telling you about how the joke about me being his fiancée started? Takao told you that my motives for loving him back then weren't always pure and he was right. When I first came across Takao, I found him by himself drawing pictures in a sandbox. I had never seen him before then but like every other member of the Zodiac, I knew who he was. I knew he was the Cat.

He tried to run away when I went over and introduced myself but I stopped him and asked him why. He told me that his Mum didn't want him to talk to anyone else and that's why he always played alone. I was so happy when he said this. I started to ask him questions about himself such as what his favourite TV show was and he told me that his Mum didn't allow him to watch television either. My initial feeling of happiness grew when he told me this."

Tears formed in her eyes as she met my questioning gaze.

"Isn't it despicable?" she wondered aloud. "Do you see how cruel and disgusting a person I was back then? I was so happy when I met Takao because I was relieved to finally find someone who was suffering even more than I was. I was always so insecure when the spirit of the Boar burdened me and I hated myself so much. It even affected my parents who would always argue over me to the point where my Mother would cry herself to sleep. But Takao gave me a way to be free of those thoughts. Compared to his life, I wasn't ostracised at all. I wasn't lonely. I wasn't a freak compared to him. So I became his friend with that ulterior motive always on my mind.

That was the true reason why I stayed by his side. He was my escape route. One day however, I stubbornly removed the bracelet from his wrist so I could have a look at it and he transformed just as he did today.

I ran from him. I was so afraid of him that I rejected him completely. Afterwards, I felt so dirty. I couldn't stand it," she sobbed as her voice cracked. "I became convinced that if I could fall in love with Takao, if I could learn to accept this monstrous aspect of Takao, then I would be pure and beautiful again. If I pretended that it never had happened and was able to love him with all my heart, I truly believed that I would be able to erase that dirty, cowardly side of me…" she finished, to overcome with tears to continue.(_1)_

"Though we have not all been through the same experience," Shigure uttered, "all of us former Zodiac members are guilty of using Takao to ease our own torment."

"That's why none of us has the right to go after Takao at the moment," Momiji confessed sadly.

"But you guys do," Hatsuharu pointed out, staring at Kenny, Rei, Max and I.

"You are the only ones who could possibly save him." Takao's Grandpa stated." You know now that Takao was planning to kill himself before Akito could put him into isolation. If you don't go after him, I'm afraid he may really go through with it."

"The question is do you want to? Can you accept Takao as he truly is? After everything you've learnt, do you still want to be his friend?" Yuki queried seriously.

My fists clenched as I met his searching gaze squarely.

"Takao is still Takao," I stated matter-of-factly. "Nothing will ever change this."

Kenny, Max and Rei each nodded their heads in agreement. It was time we saved Takao for a change.

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(Takao's POV)

_NO! I didn't want them to see me like this! I didn't want them to know! It's all over! There's no hope now!_

These thoughts repeated over and over in my head as I fled from the locker room and away from the disgusted looks of my friends.

I ran without looking back letting my instincts guide me through the twisting labyrinth of corridors, uncaring where I ended up. All I knew was that I had to put as much distance between myself and everyone else as quickly as possible.

I focused all my attention on putting one leg in front of the other, not allowing myself to dwell on what had just happened. I knew what I was doing was cowardly but I just couldn't bear the pain any more. All I wanted was to forget everything that had happened.

Spotting a door up ahead, I yanked it open and found myself outside. Breathing a sigh of relief, I raced off into the nearest thicket of trees, knowing that it would be difficult for anyone to find me out in the wilderness.

The sky was an ominous mass of swirling black clouds above me. The cool air soothed my muscles as I continued to rush through the forest. Soon after, I wasn't even able to see the massive stadium any more through the dense spray of trees around me.

By now, my muscles were sore from my exertion so I slowed down to a light jog as I looked for somewhere comfortable I could rest.

Spotting a stream up ahead, I headed towards it just as rain began to fall. Seating myself on a rock outcrop, I turned my face skyward, allowing the fat drops of rain to mingle with my tears.

Unbidden, the faces of my team mates appeared in my mind's eye. Truth be told I really didn't mind that they had been afraid of me. I didn't even really mind the faint feelings of disgust and pity in their eyes either. What truly hurt me was the fact that they all looked at me as if I was a stranger. When Kai had called my name, he had been so unsure that it was still me. Of everything in the world, that was the one thing I feared the most. The thought of someone never truly seeing _me_ terrified me.

This inevitably led to thoughts of my Mother. She had always made sure that I was kept away from other people. She was so ashamed of me that she couldn't bear the idea of others knowing the truth about me. She was so afraid of me, that every minute of the day she would check to make sure my bracelet was still firmly fixed on my wrist and all the times she did this, she would tell me that she was unafraid. She would repeatedly say that she loved me despite me being a monster, as if she were bound by duty to do so. I hated that. I loathed how she used to say that she loved me so much she would die for me. I hated how she was too cowardly to ever really see me. I wouldn't have minded if she was afraid of me or if she couldn't love that monstrous side of me. If she did admit to such things than it would have meant that she did see me but she couldn't find the courage to do so and it ended up costing her life. She killed herself because she couldn't bear the thought of living such a lie any more and I was once more left alone. (_2)_

_That's how it will always be, won't it? No one will ever be willing to stay by my side when I am such a monster. Why bother living any more if this is what my life will always be like. Death can't be that much worse and it will be an end to all this pain, all this sorrow._

With these morose thoughts running through my head, I turned to regard the stream before me. The constant rain had made the body of water swell alarmingly. It writhed against the sharp boulders littering the side of the stream.

_It would be so easy to end it all. All I would have to do is lean forward. Gravity will force my body to fall into the water and after a few moments of cold and wetness, the current will shove me into one of those big rocks with enough impact to finish me. So simple and I wouldn't even have to do a thing._

I gazed at the turbulent water; mesmerised by the promise of escape it offered me. In the background, I could hear great bursts of thunder boom as lightning lit up the sky but I paid it no heed. The darkened water before me was calling out to me and I couldn't resist its lure. With a sad smile and a grateful sigh I leaned forward and let gravity do its magic…

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A/N: I was planning to end it here just to annoy you all but I decided to be nice and keep going. Consider it your Christmas present. Lol.

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I pitched headfirst into the rough water, narrowly avoiding banging my head against the rock I had been perched on. The murky water instantly claimed my body, dragging me along in a tumbling ride. Soon, I was littered in scratches and grazes but the freezing cold water made my body numb to such inconsequential pain.

The fierce tug of the current continued to drag me along, flinging my body carelessly against whatever it came across but my toughened skin protected me against any serious damage. My lungs began to burn from lack of oxygen and I had to forcefully restrain myself from acting on instinct and kicking towards the surface. It wouldn't be long. Even now I could feel myself growing weaker, my mind becoming cloudy, the pain in my heart beginning to dull. Freedom was almost within reach…

Suddenly, I felt something hard clamp onto my arm. Before I could blink, I was yanked free from the water's hold and dragged slowly onto the shore. Overcome with exhaustion and lack of oxygen, I blacked out.

When I came around, it was to find a pair of lips pressed firmly against my own, two hands pumping rhythmically against my chest. I began to cough up water and I was grateful when someone tilted my body to the side to ease my spluttering. I was surprised to see how much water I had actually swallowed. When I was done, I was eased onto my back with my head resting comfortably against someone's leg.

My vision soon began to focus and I became aware of my surroundings once more. The first thing I noticed was that I was once more in my human form. At this thought, I felt a familiar weight on my wrist and knew that someone had put my bracelet back on me. Looking up, I noticed four pairs of concerned eyes watching me.

"Takao…" Max sobbed brokenly before he latched onto me in a tight hug.

"Don't ever do that again!" Kenny cried, as he gripped my arm and refused to let go.

"Why…" I whispered croakily. "Why are you guys here? Why did you save me?"

"You're our friend, Takao," Rei responded quietly. "You've helped us through so much and we all love you so much. We couldn't just stand by and let you k-kill yourself. We didn't want to lose you."

I looked down at the dark red and white prayer bead bracelet adorning my wrist and sighed.

"What about…?" I began only to be cut off by Kai, whose leg I was lying against.

"You are still you, Takao. Even if you wear a different form that doesn't change who you are. We can't promise you that we're not scared shitless by some of your secrets but that doesn't mean we don't want you to still be our friend," he declared, his fiery red eyes fervent.

I blinked, unable to believe what I was hearing.

_They didn't hate me? They still wanted to stay by my side despite what a monster I am?_

As the feeling of acceptance and camaraderie blanketed my soul, I felt something inside me snap.

_"This is the final goodbye…" a soft voice whispered in my mind as the image of a beautiful, kimono-wearing male appeared in his mind. A soft, saddened smile graced the man's mouth as his long hair swirled around him in imaginary breeze. "Farewell."_

Tears formed in eyes as my hand unconsciously reached towards my bracelet. Grasping it firmly, I pulled it from my wrist ignoring the panicked exclamations of my friends. The string snapped, flinging the prayer beads into the air. I stared at my now bare left arm. Tears flowed ceaselessly down my cheeks, as I comprehended what had just happened. The Curse was over! It was gone!

"I'M FREE!" I screamed at the heavens. As if to match my mood, the dark clouds had parted slightly, revealing a small but heart warming beam of sunlight. Laughter burst from my sore throat even as tears continued falling from my eyes. The initial shock of my outburst wearing off, I was soon engulfed in my friend's embraces. I clung to them, basking in their warmth and comfort. I was free!

* * *

I steeled myself as I approached the door to the locker room. Kai squeezed my shoulder reassuringly as he continued to support me as we walked. The injuries I had sustained in the river had been more extensive than I had realised. I don't think anything was broken but I was thoroughly bruised. Furthermore, I was bleeding from a myriad of cuts and gashes and based on my coughing and fever, it was also highly likely that I was suffering from a mild case of pneumonia as well. Add to that my sheer emotional and physical exhaustion and I wasn't able to even walk by myself. Hence, I was now leaning rather heavily against Kai. The guys had wanted to take me straight to a hospital but there was something I needed to do first.

When Rei opened the door and we walked into the room, we were all immediately inundated with questions about what had happened. I ignored these in favour of meeting Akito's dark glittering eyes. Her face was formed into a mask of indifference but I knew instinctively that she had been waiting for me. Pulling my arm free from Kai's support, I hobbled over to where she was standing distanced from the rest of the room's occupants.

Silence filled the air as everyone waited with bated breath to see what happened.

"I'm sorry," I murmured, traces of tears still marring my face. I held out my hand and placed my broken bracelet in her waiting hand. "I can't stay by your side any more."

That said, I turned my back on her and began to walk shakily back towards my friends.

"Farewell," Akito whispered in reply. I glanced over my shoulder and for a second the image of the sad kimono wearing man was superimposed over Akito then that vision faded and in his spot was a dark haired young woman with a single tear running down her cheek. I nodded once in acceptance before continuing to make my way towards my friends. It was finally over.

The End.

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A/N: This is the end of my first ever fan fic so I really would appreciate a review. How do you guys think I went? Also remember; if there's anything you want me to put in the epilogue make sure you tell me. If I don't get many ideas from you guys, I won't end up doing one…

1 Based on chapter 68, Volume 12 of Fruits Basket.

2 Based on chapter 32, volume 6 of Fruits Basket.


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